Freshmeat
by LetItRock
Summary: HIATUS. On the first day of college, after a rather unfortunate meeting with freshman Bella, Edward strikes up a bet with his friends: that he will manage to get into her pants by the end of first semester. Too bad Bella is dead set on hating his guts.AH
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: All characters in this story are AH, OOC and AU**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Twilight.  
**

.:.

**Freshmeat  
**Chapter 1 – Legs

.:.

_Edward POV_

"Heads up," Emmett noted, nodding towards the cash register of the campus cafe. "Freshmeat."

I glanced up at Emmett and Jasper uninterestedly before turning to follow Em's glance. It was the first day of our senior year at college, also known as Fuck with a Freshman Day; a right of passage to any freshman attending Stanford. It wasn't so much about sex. It was more about purely messing with the new freshman class on the lead up to Full Moon on the Quad on Friday night, where we, as seniors, exchanged kisses with a freshman of our choice. It was a stupid tradition, but at least a good make out with a hot freshman girl was ensured. The week leading up to this was basically trial and error. So far, it had been more of an error.

I looked towards the cash register not expecting much. It was already one o'clock in the afternoon, and I hadn't spotted a freshman that caught my eye yet. Little did I know though, that this was about to change.

I noticed three freshman girls standing at the counter. Two were already paying for their food, one being a little spiky haired brunette with a sandwich, and the other a tall, blonde girl with a body like one of those models on Sports Illustrated; gorgeous, but traditional. Both were pretty in their own ways, but neither caught my eye like the girl to their right still pondering over her choices. The first thing I noticed about her was her legs; long, lean, tanned and dressed in cut-off shorts. They were the most perfect set I had ever seen – and I had seen _a lot_. Her long dark brown hair hung half way down her back and she finished off her outfit with a simple dark blue t-shirt. Beautiful, carefree and simple. Good legs. Nice ass. I wanted to know her.

"_Damn_," I muttered as I watched the new girl decide what to eat. Jasper's chuckle beside me showed he found my appreciation very entertaining.

"Hot, huh?" he nodded.

"Damn straight," I agreed simply, not taking my eyes off those legs.

"I like the little brunette," Jasper noted simply. "She looks perky."

Em laughed at that. So did I. Jasper certainly had a type.

"The blonde is mine," Em informed us. Both were adding the girls to their lists, which were basically their pick of girls they might kiss on Friday." Her and that red head from the quad are tied in my book." He had had an earlier run in with a little red head during that morning. She had eaten out of the palm of his hand, as usual. No doubt by the end of the week he'd have at least ten girls lined up to choose from. Adding another to the list was no big deal.

Apparently though, I wasn't calling fast enough, and Jasper decided to nudge me. I watched as Legs ran a hand through her long hair. It only made me imagine what she looked like doing that naked.

"Edward, man, come on. Is she going on your list?" he demanded.

"No list," I answered quickly, standing up from the table. I couldn't help the temptation. It took them both by surprise. "She's the one."

"Where the hell are you going?" Em asked in surprise.

I simply smirked, not bothering to look at them as I answered.

"To inform her of my choices." I threw the comment over my shoulder as I walked over to Legs.

Chuckles from Jasper and Emmett followed me as I approached Legs and walked right up behind her, practically breathing down her neck. It almost made me laugh when I saw that the food she was pondering over was the fried stuff; French fries, pizza, sausages and more. Of course. She clearly didn't stress over counting calories like three quarters of the female population. I liked that.

But that didn't mean I wouldn't give her shit for it though.

"You better calm down there and move to the salad bar, babe. We don't want you losing that fine figure of yours prematurely," I whispered right by her ear, barely half an inch away from touching her.

Legs didn't flinch. She didn't even stiffen. I had to stop myself from laughing. "And we wouldn't want you to lose your balls prematurely either, so how about you remove your dick from my ass and back off."

I chuckled quietly. Witty. Not intimidated. Strong. Not nervous. I loved that. I decided to play dumb to see what else I could get out of her.

"What do you mean, babe? I thought we were having quite a nice chat."

What she did next shocked me. Within a second she spun around, not stepping back even an inch, so close to me that her face was nearly touching my chest. Big brown eyes glared up at me. It was impressive.

"Leave me alone or you'll lose that dick you prize so much," she spat. "_That's_ what I mean."

I smirked. "Feisty, huh? I like feisty. Angry sex rocks."

Legs raised a slender eyebrow, and in a flash her expression turned from angry to seductive. Slowly, she leaned in closer to me. I could feel her hot breath trailing down my neck, sweet and addictive. A mere slight movement would have meant my lips would crash to hers. The temptation was unbearable. In the next moment, she spoke, her voice husky and her full lips teasing.

"You want to fuck me?" she drawled, her voice sultry and addictive. Her big brown eyes looked up to me, hooded. I could have melted in it. But then, all of a sudden, she snapped back to angry. In the next second I felt a cold wetness soaking through my t-shirt and running down my arms. I looked down, wide eyed, to see the strawberry milkshake she had been holding splashed all over me. A moment later, she shoved the empty cup into my hands. "_That's_ the closest you are _ever _going to get to fucking me," she smirked before turning around on the balls of her feet and heading towards her friends, who were now sitting on a table outside and giggling behind their hands.

_Fuck_.

.:.

"Damn, Ed, that girl so _owns_ you," Emmett laughed as he poked at the red crap on my white t-shirt. I felt like smacking his head in. Legs didn't give me a second glance as she walked over to her table. It wasn't right. It was wrong. I _never _got rejected. Any girl would _pay_ to be the object of my attention. But not her.

I glanced at Emmett then, and remembering his huge form that had broken my nose twice in the fifteen years we had known each other and which could crush me in a fight, I decided against hitting him. Instead, I knocked his hand away.

"Fuck off," I growled. Emmett just laughed. I then turned towards Jasper. He was wearing his classic t-shirt and unbuttoned flannel shirt. He never did abandon his Texan upbringing. His southern charm and mischievous grin were like drugs to any girl he came across. "Jazz, give me your shirt."

"What, this one?" he checked, pulling at the flannel.

"Yes," I answered gruffly, yanking my t-shirt over my head and dumping it in a messy pile on the cafe floor. Fuck it. Jasper handed me his shirt and I slipped it on, doing up the buttons as well as I could under the anger of it all.

"Damn, Ed, remember to _breathe_," Jasper coaxed. "You look like you are about to explode."

"Shut up," I muttered gruffly.

"You are so _not _getting to fuck her," Emmett laughed. "It's a bit of a shame, really. She's hot, in that kind of girl next door way. I bet she's a minx in the bedroom too."

"You know who's probably a minx in the bedroom?" Jasper laughed, leaning his elbows on the table. Both were ignoring my pissed off mood. "That little spiky haired one." He glanced over to her in appreciation. "Damn, she's probably like a pixie on speed."

"Well, unlike Milkshake Boy, you still have a chance with Pixie. Eddy here isn't getting into the other one's pants any time soon," Emmett laughed, landing one of his bear paws in a smack on my back. _Gee, thanks. Asshole. _Emmett always found the humour in life; especially in my misfortune.

Jasper grinned triumphantly. Damn fucker was always smiling in a way that made you wonder what he was up to. I felt my anger boiling. It was all Emmett's fault.

Legs wasn't off limits to me. I could get into any girl's pants that I wanted. None could resist me. That had been proven many times. Emmett saying so pissed me off to no end, and he knew that. I could never reject a challenge. He knew _that_, too. Legs would be mine, like half of the girls at that school. Jasper, Emmett and I were _large _competitors in the v-card market. Legs wouldn't be any different.

Wait, scratch that. Yes she would. She would be _fucking _different, for two reasons. One: fucking her would have a monetary pay off, and two: having that _fine _pair of legs wrapped around me surely would be a treat.

"You want to bet on that?" I called to Emmett in the middle of their conversation. Emmett glanced at me in confusion. I peeled my eyes off Legs to look at him.

"What do you mean?" he asked in confusion.

"Legs. I'll bet you five hundred bucks I can get into her pants by the end of the year."

"Year?" Emmett laughed. "What do you take me for: an idiot? Of course you can do it in a year. No, man, if we are betting, we need higher stakes."

"What sort of stakes are you talking about?" I questioned. Emmett grinned at me like he knew a secret we didn't.

"I'm talking big money," Emmett grinned. He then paused for dramatic effect. Just before I growled at him to spit it out, he spoke. "I'm willing to lay down seven grand that says you can't get her to fuck you by the end of the semester."

I couldn't help the grin that spread as I heard the numbers ring out. I reality, seven grand meant shit to Emmett and I. Money was no barrier. Our fathers made sure of that. What made me smile, however, was the unabashed gloating rights that would come with my conquest.

"Seven grand?" I checked. "Are you sure?"

Emmett nodded solemnly before glancing to Jasper. "Jasper, are you in?"

Immediately Jasper nodded keenly. The fucker's father was a big head in the army. Although his Dad was bastard reincarnated, money was no object to him either.

"Of course."

"Alright then," Emmett grinned. "You're on, Edward. If you get in her pants by the end of the first semester, – that's midnight on the last day – Jazz and I will give you seven grand each. If you don't, you're coughing up seven grand to the each of _us_. We good?"

I simply smirked at the great men I called the best friends. "Hell yeah."

Emmett smiled in an early victory. One second later Jasper nudged my elbow. "Hey, look at that."

He nodded towards Legs' table. I followed. What I saw made me laugh out loud. A flash of strawberry blonde hair told me Tanya was there. A flash of brunette told me Legs wasn't taking her shit. In the next moment, I heard Tanya's shrill voice over all else.

"How dare you pour your fucking drink all over _my _man, you little slut of a freshman? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Oh man," I chuckled under my breath, smiling in some sort of sadistic amusement. Emmett was stopping himself from dissolving into hysterics. Legs' friends were frowning in confusion. The blonde one was already getting to her feet. Legs was staring at Tanya like she was some alien creature. I couldn't agree more. She was.

Tanya had been my fuck toy for the past year at college; her freshman year. We had not been anything else. I most certainly _wasn't_ her man. I was _nobody's _man. Ever. And I made that very clear. But, as the clingy bitch she was, she wouldn't listen. Although, I had to admit, seeing a cat fight over me on the first day did please me a little. I still had game in that college.

I couldn't help it then. I had to stand up. I had to go and add fuel to the fire.

"Ed, you're not going to..." Emmett's sentence trailed off as he watched me, wide eyed. He and Jasper both knew very well what I was going to do. I only had to smirk at them both.

"It's about time I go and enjoy Fuck with a Freshman Day."

.:.

**Author's Note: Hi there. So, this is my new story. I know it's not the greatest idea to start a new story in the middle of another, but I assure you Let Go's update schedule will not be altered. You can expect updates from this one hopefully once a week. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Oh, and I don't know much about college, and barely anything about Stanford, so please just bare with me here. Also, it's rated M for a reason. Thanks for reading and please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Freshmeat  
**Chapter 2 – Dangerous

.:.

_Bella POV_

"Bella! Bella, look. He's taking off his shirt. I swear to God, Bella, _turn around_. He's taking off his _shirt _for Christ's sake!"

Alice's big blue eyes lit up like Christmas. I couldn't help but groan. Her continued play-by-play of Jerk Face's actions were completely unnecessary, but according to her, he was now the most interesting thing on campus.

"Oh God! His abs. They are just... just... oh, I can't even describe them. He's just so... so... he's getting the cute blonde's shirt! Oh... oh... look at those muscles. I can't... I just can't." Alice's eager eyes darted momentarily to Rosalie. Following this she nudged Rosalie's elbow persistently, keeping her eyes locked on Jerk Face and his strip show. "Rosalie, explain to Bella his beauty. You're good with words."

Rosalie's expression showed me she was just as unimpressed as me. She widened her eyes at me in annoyance before spitting out a line that almost had me choking at its absurdity.

"His body echoes that of a sculptured God, with rippling muscles showing beneath tanned and flawless skin, enough to make any idiotic, naive girl swoon," Rosalie stated in a bland monotone. I had to bite back a laugh. Alice took a while to notice the insult.

She kept nodding like a brainless chicken for a while, continuing to watch Jerk Face. At least ten seconds later she stopped, frowned and then shot a harsh glare at Rosalie. She even gasped that little bit. It was more than humorous.

"Hey!" Alice exclaimed. "That was just rude."

"And your pointless play-by-play is getting old. Quit it," Rosalie answered, not missing a beat.

I grinned. _My sentiments exactly_.

Alice gaped, and then looked at me in search of support. "Bella! Aren't you going to defend me?"

I winced. "Sorry Ally, but I'm with Rose on this one. The guy's a jerk, and you're a little too obsessed."

Alice huffed. "The blonde's cuter, anyway. I was just pointing it out for _you_. But, seeing as though you are being an _idiot_, I'll stop. But I still think you are being stupid. He's totally in to you!"

That sentiment had Rosalie and me doubling over in laughter. Why? It wasn't because of Alice's absurdity. No, it was because of the notion of Alice even showing _any _interest in a guy. I had known Alice since second grade, and until our first day of college she had always been that happy, book-worm, in-her-own-world sort of girl. Boys were never even a blip on her radar. Her imagination was the source of her undisputable joy. This, however, had changed abruptly with our arrival at college. She discovered, as she put it, "real men", and found a new source for her glee.

"Alice," I sighed through giggles, "he's not into _me_. He's into Fuck with a Freshman Day, and I'm not going to put up with being treated like a piece of meat. I'm _not interested_."

"Don't you mean Fresh_meat_?" Rosalie giggled quietly, reminding me of the name the boys had for new freshmen girls.

Alice ignored her. "But you didn't have to dump your drink on him!" she insisted. "That was just _rude_."

"He was being an ass, Ally. What was I supposed to do?" I raised an expecting eyebrow at her. Alice stuttered in unknowing before turning to Rosalie.

"Come on, Rose! Don't you agree with me?"

Rosalie smiled apologetically at Alice. "Sorry Ally, but I'm with Bella on this one. He deserved what she gave him." Rosalie then turned to me, smirking. I knew exactly what was coming. "Although..." she began, "just because he's a jerk doesn't mean you have to dismiss him completely. Angry sex _is _hot."

My eyes widened in horror. She couldn't be serious. Then again, she _was_ Rosalie. Those sorts of sentiments were never rare for her.

"Well how about _you _fuck him then," I offered.

Rosalie crinkled her nose in disgust. "No way. He's not my type."

I smiled cheekily to her. "Oh, so you have a _type_ now? Raising the standards, are we?" I teased.

Rosalie laughed at that. She didn't take offense to it. She never denied her fondness of the opposite sex. She simply stuck her tongue out at me. I returned the gesture.

Alice decided to interrupt us. "You know he's like _staring _at you, right?" she squeaked.

"I don't care," I answered simply.

"How can you _not_?" Alice insisted. "He's like the hottest guy in school!"

I frowned at her. "How do you even _know _that?"

"I hear things," Alice popped. "In the house." I internally scowled. Alice had convinced Rosalie and me of the apparent _need _for us to enter a sorority house on our first year of college, so we did. SubDeb wasn't terrible – sure, there were a few divas, but it had to be the most modest of the houses available. But, of course, the girls loved to gossip. Alice had found it very entertaining.

"What things?" Rosalie pressed.

Alice grinned at her new sense of authority. "He's the school player. Him and his friends are like _royalty _here."

Rosalie stared blankly at Alice, completely dumbfounded by our friend's sudden change of heart. I simply groaned. Loudly. And lay my head on my folded arms.

"It's like we've walked into an episode of the fucking OC. Can't we just talk about something _else_?" I mumbled. I wasn't interested in the inner workings of the campus hierarchy. I just wanted to get an _education_.

"Oh yeah?" Rosalie chirped. "Well it looks like it's just about to get even more interesting."

I sat up and looked at Rosalie in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Rosalie nodded to the left of me. "That girl looks pissed, and she's coming over here."

Another groan escaped me as I followed Rosalie's indication. Sure enough I spotted a fierce looking strawberry blonde girl storming towards me. She reminded me of a lion, with her curly long hair and angry expression. I sighed again. I so did _not _want to deal with that shit.

Too bad the girl wanted to punch me in the head.

"How dare you pour your fucking drink all over _my _man, you little slut of a freshman? Who the hell do you think you are?"

_You've got to be kidding me_.

The lioness stalked up to me, got right into my _personal space_ and put her hands on her hips like a fucking princess. I hated that. She had no idea.

"You're joking, right?" I checked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Lioness huffed and puffed and tried to blow the damn house down. "Who the _hell _do you think you are? You have the nerve to dump your drink on _my _man and now you are giving _me_ shit? Do you even know who I _am_!"

In the corner of my eye I saw Rosalie getting to her feet. That had me jumping up and taking over. This was my fight, not hers. Rosalie was always protective of me. I wouldn't have her getting hurt.

"You're _man_ was being a pig," I told her calmly. "He deserved what he got."

Lioness looked like she was about to blow. "How dare you call my man a _pig_? You cannot talk to me like that! You're _nothing_ in this school. _Nothing_. You suck, you little slut."

I smirked. Word vomit was coming. I couldn't stop it. Hell, I didn't even try to. "I suck for no one. You," I dragged my eyes up the length of her body for dramatic effect, "quite _clearly_, suck for money. Now who's the slut?"

Burning blue eyes bulged. I smirked. She raised her hand to smack me one. I expected to feel an impact. Nothing came.

Well, nothing on my face anyway.

I almost jumped out of my skin when I felt a strong arm sling around my shoulder. Lioness drew back her anger and turned into a cuddly kitten. I apprehensively looked towards our visitor. Automatically, I shuddered, and tried to slink out of his hold. Jerk Face was back.

He wouldn't let me go, either.

"Hello, ladies," he greeted, wearing that same shit-eating grin that seemed to be permanently etched into his face. I felt like smacking it. Emerald green eyes gleamed with complete and utter arrogance. I looked down to the stolen cowboy shirt. He had missed a button, so it was uneven in that slightly hot way. The look screamed cocky. Even his bronze haired styled in shaggy disarray screamed an 'I'm-so-hot-I-don't-have-to-give-a-shit' attitude. "Do we have a problem here?"

Chuckles echoed around us. I glanced around to see Alice and Rosalie, as well as Jerk Face's bosom buddies, laughing at our expense. My eyes went back to the Lioness. She was looked up at Jerk Face like he was her God. I felt like dry heaving. She was no lion. She was putty in his hands.

Suddenly, she snapped back at me and glared. I looked at her in surprise. Her clear distaste for me was thoroughly amusing. Jerk Face's eyes landed on me too. I ignored him, instead moving to clenching and unclenching my fist.

"Oh, it's nothing, Eddy," the lion-putty purred, peeling her eyes back to Jerk Face. "It's just this little freshmen _bitch_ acting like she runs the place. I was just setting her straight."

_Eddy?_ _Eddy? _Naaww... Eddy-kins. How cute.

I couldn't help it. I had to bite my tongue to stop the laughter, but that didn't work. Thus, I dissolved into giggles.

_Eddy _removed his arm from me in surprise. His arm around Lioness dropped too. Lioness sent me another death glare. I took a step back from the two airheads and tried to control myself.

"What's so _funny_?" Lioness spat at me. I glanced up at her through laughter, only to fall into another round of giggles after catching her expression.

"N... noth... nothing," I assured her as I pulled myself together. "It's just... oh man. _Eddy_?" I blurted out. "Seriously? No wonder you have you act like the school jackass. A name like that surely would screw someone up."

Lioness glared at me. The corner of Eddy-kins' mouth turned up in amusement. Lioness didn't find _anything_ funny.

"His full name is _Edward_, bitch. I just call him Eddy because he's _my man_. Idiot."

Lioness smiled smugly and crossed her arms in triumph. It surely was a pathetic sight. I looked away from her and towards _Edward_, raising an eyebrow. He was sounding more and more pathetic by the minute.

Eddy-kins took the hint. "Tanya, for fuck sake, I'm not your man. I never was. Fuck off."

Tanya's expression dropped. Edward glared at her. It was like you could pinpoint the second when her heart crushed. She even went deathly pale, pleading with Edward for a second chance.

"What?" she stuttered; surprised and embarrassed. "But... but... but Edward!"

"No, Tanya," Edward snarled. "Fuck off."

_Wow_. Asshole.

Okay, sure, I didn't like Tanya, but that display had me siding with her in an instant. Edward was an asshole. He crushed her heart and embarrassed her in public. He was nothing but a Jerk Face.

"What the hell?" I demanded. Tanya looked at me in surprise. So did Jerk Face. "You can't just treat her like that. What kind of a person are you?"

Edward blanked at me. I thought for a moment Tanya was going to soften on me. I wanted to sympathise with her. That, however, didn't happen.

"I don't need your fucking _help_," she spat at me before turning on her heels and walking away.

Wow. Okay.

As soon as Tanya had walked away Jerk Face turned to me and smirked. He even stepped forward. I held my ground.

"Edward Cullen," he offered, sticking out his hand to me. "We haven't officially met."

I glanced down at his hand, not moving, and then back up to him. That shit-eating grin he was wearing angered me more than anything else.

"I don't care," I answered sharply.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Come on. Introduce yourself. Shake my hand. It's only polite."

I smirked at him. "You don't know the first thing about being polite. If you did, you would know how to respect a lady like a _real _man. You wouldn't treat them like pieces of meat."

Edward grinned and inched forward again, dropping his hand. I kept my eyes locked on his, glaring. I wasn't giving in for shit.

"But that's exactly what you are; Fresh_meat_," he claimed. He inched forward again, so much so that he was pressing right up against me. I could feel his hot breath on my neck. His bright eyes bore into me, steamy and addictive.

But I held myself steady. He wasn't going to use sexual charm to get to me. I wasn't going to be weak. I wasn't going to let him overpower me. No boy could.

I craned my head to one side and raised an eyebrow. Edward watched me expectantly.

"Freshmeat, huh?" I questioned. "Well, I can assure you one thing. You are not getting one _piece_ of this meat." I smirked at him. Jerk Face's expression dropped. His bosom buddies broke into hysterics. "Oh, and one more thing: _deodorant_. That's all I'm saying."

With that I spun around on my heels, grabbed my bag and marched out of the cafe. Rosalie and Alice were soon to follow.

.:.

"I still cannot believe you _did _that!" Alice exclaimed as we sat on the bench outside my lecture hall, waiting for two o'clock to roll around. "The look on Edward's face was priceless!"

I sighed, exasperated. "Alice, don't you have a lecture to go to?" The three of us had been lucky enough to sync our lecture timetables, despite the fact of us doing completely different degrees.

"I have ten minutes," she answered simply before continuing on her rant. "I mean didn't you see him! Even his friends applauded you! He is _so _obsessed with you!"

"Alice, drop it," I scolded. "I don't give a shit about Edward Cullen. You're going to be late for your lecture."

Alice frowned at me before looking over at Rosalie. "_She _hasn't left to go to hers yet."

"That's because mine is in the room next door. Yours is on the other side of campus," Rosalie rebutted.

Alice grumbled. Rosalie smiled in triumph. Alice stuck her tongue out at her. "You are _such _a kill joy," she moaned.

"Ally," Rosalie smiled. "Go to your lecture. We'll see you at three and _then_ we can keep bugging Bella."

"Hey!" I scolded. "Come on, guys. Let's not let our first day of college revolve around the school asshole."

Rosalie grinned at me like I was a naive two year old. "There's more to talk about than just _Edward_, Bells. I mean didn't you see his friends? Hot stuff right there."

Alice nodded in eager agreement. I couldn't help but laugh at the two of them. "You guys are so boy crazy," I chuckled.

"And proud of it," Alice chirped, standing up. "I'll see you guys after class."

Rosalie and I waved Alice off as she jogged off towards her lecture hall. As soon as she had disappeared into the distance Rosalie turned to me.

"Are you okay, Bella?" she pressed, her expression washing with concern. "You looked a bit shaken after that whole episode with Cullen. He got pretty close."

I brushed her worry off and pushed those thoughts away. Rosalie knew me too well. "I'm fine. I swear."

Rosalie frowned. "You can talk to me, you know," she reminded me. "You don't have to keep it inside."

I chuckled then. It lifted the tension ever-so-slightly. "I _know_, Rose. We've been friends for a while, remember?"

"Right," she nodded with a laugh. "How could I forget?"

I decided to change the subject then. There was too much tension. That was the problem with knowing people for years; they knew everything about you, including about your painful past.

"Anyway," I sighed. "I heard that on Sunday night there is a tradition of an outdoor movie on campus. We should go."

Rosalie smiled at me in excitement. With that, the few minutes until class were passed with ease. Once inside, I could breathe a sigh of relief.

.:.

By half past four that afternoon Rosalie, Alice and I arrived back at the SubDeb house. Most of the girls were already home and cracking out the alcohol and music to celebrate the ending of our first day of college. As soon as I walked into the room, however, I was taken by surprise. No, actually, that's an understatement. I was nearly mugged by our Sorority Mother, Carmen, a senior.

"Bella!" Carmen exclaimed as she jogged over to me, unannounced, and encased me in a hug. I hugged her back weakly, still not really that use to her. "Bella, Bella, Bella. I've been hearing some gossip about you today."

I sighed. Loudly. I knew what was coming. This school was like one massive fucking grapevine of gossip.

"Tanya Norton was in my lecture this afternoon," she explained. _Aw, crap_. "She certainly had a _lot _to say about you."

"Wow. Word travels fast," I sighed.

Carmen grinned. "It sure does."

_Hold on..._

"But how does she even know who I am?" I asked. "I never told her my name."

Carmen winced. "Her descriptions were good enough for me to deduce it as being you who upset her. It was you, right?" I nodded solemnly. Carmen then did something that amazed me to no end. She dissolved into a round of boisterous laughter. "Oh, Bella," she exclaimed. "I am so glad we let you into this sorority. I can tell we are going to be great friends."

"Huh?" I asked in confusion.

"I admire your courage for standing up to Edward Cullen. That guy deserved what was coming to him," Carmen explained. "I've been in the same school as him for _years_. It's about time he was put in his place and shown that he's not as irresistible as he thinks he is. The guy is an asshole, Bella. You are a model freshman for what you did."

"Everyone else in this school seems to think he's pretty amazing," I noted dully.

Carmen nodded in agreement. "But you know the reality. Keep that, Bella. That way you won't be hurt by him."

I frowned at Carmen. "Why don't you like him?" I asked.

Carmen smiled solemnly. "Unlike the rest of the girls at this school, I've seen the real Edward Cullen."

"How so?" I asked.

Carmen let out a strained laugh. Suddenly I felt like I had dug too deep. She was coming down from her high and towards seriousness. But, without missing a beat, she answered me. "Edward and I grew up in the same town. I've been in his class since first grade," she explained. "And I'll tell you, there's more to him than you think. Girls around here don't see that danger."

I was taken aback. The joyous celebrations of the party seemed a weird contrast to our suddenly serious conversation.

"Danger?" I asked. "How can he be dangerous?"

Carmen smiled kindly to me. She seemed protective; maternal, even. She was a good pick for Sorority Mother. "Just promise me that you will be cautious around him, Bella."

I nodded, unsure of what else to do. "Sure thing."

"Great," Carmen chirped, suddenly happy again. The smile she let loose frightened me. Her mood swings were giving me whiplash. "Oh, and keep vigilant," she added through laughter. "Tanya wants your head on stick, and Edward doesn't like it when he wants something that he can't have."

With that, Carmen skipped off to join the rest of the girls, while I was left there stunned.

_Great..._

.:.

**Author's Note: There we have it: chapter two. Yay for procrastination that allowed me to finish this chapter instead of study for my final tomorrow! Woooo! I would really like to thank everyone who has favourited, alerted and reviewed this story so far. The response was really great, and way better than I expected. Thank you all so much! Anyway, please let me know your thoughts on this chapter in a review. How do you like the characters so far? What do you think of the illusive advice from Carmen? Leave your thoughts in a review! Thanks so much!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Freshmeat  
**Chapter 3 – Prick

.:.

_Edward POV_

Tuesday rolled around far too quickly for my liking. I was still brooding over my tragic fail of a meeting with Legs. This pain was only doubled with the looming threat of three two hour lectures that were my Tuesday timetable, the first requiring me to be in class by eight o'clock. This was then _worsened_ by the fact that Emmett and Jasper had decided to make my life a living hell. Their first action on this goal: wake me up at five o'clock in the morning after only getting to bed at two.

After throwing various objects at the two goofballs it took me a full hour to get back to sleep. An hour later, my alarm went off, and I felt like death warmed up. I dragged myself through a shower and dress regime before shuffling into the kitchen like a fucking zombie. Jasper and Emmett were sitting on the sofas in front of the television, smiling like two year olds and acting like they were innocent little cherubs.

Fuck _that_.

"Oh, poor Eddy Boy. What's wrong? Did you have a bad night?" Emmett mocked.

"You're a fucking asshole," I spat as I walked towards the kitchen counter, shoved my books in to my backpack and slung a strap over my shoulder.

"Hey now," Jasper cautioned, "no need for name calling."

"You call it name calling. I call it stating a fact," I answered.

Emmett winced theatrically and continued to smirk as he rubbed my misfortune in my face. "Ouch, Eddy-_kins_, that hurt. You know, a _real man_ wouldn't treat people like that."

_Fucking asshole_.

"Shut up," I hissed. The memory of my strike out with Legs was already fresh in my mind. I didn't need him pouring salt in my wounds.

"Why? Is that what a _real man _would do?" he teased again.

That almost sent me over the edge. The mixture of a bad mood and a crap night's sleep was going to set me off. When I opened my mouth to put him in his place, Emmett smirked and raised an eyebrow in expectant triumph. Evil ass. He knew exactly what he was doing, and soon so did I. He knew very well that his mocking, taunting and overall making-my-life-hell aim would push me over the edge and make me act on the bet in the most extreme way possible. He wanted me to strike out even worse. He wanted me to fail. And he was going to do anything to make that happen. Emmett may have been my best friend, but he liked to play with people. Mind games were his specialty. Messing with people was his pass time. His obsession with betting only aided this. Hell, we did it _together _half of the time. He found it hilarious, in an evil joker kind of way. He was good at it, too. The bad thing was that after knowing the guy for years he knew _exactly_ how to press my buttons as well. I wasn't going to fall for it though. I wouldn't let him mess me up.

I grinned at him, telling him that I knew _exactly_ what he was doing. "You know what, that was such a low blow that I'm not going to dignify it with a response."

Emmett smirked. He was scheming again. "Well, you've got to hit _something _low, because due to the looks of things, you are not getting anywhere near that girl's 'low' parts."

Ouch. Harsh. But not true. I was determined. I was resolute. That day, I was going to put on the charm.

Jasper decided to add his two cents in then. The guy never did get his hands dirty to the extent Emmett or I did.

"Come on guys, cool it. Em, you've got to lay off Ed a bit. He's got a hard enough time as it is."

"Do you _want _to cough up seven grand to him?" Emmett questioned. Jasper opened his mouth to speak. Emmett didn't wait for a response. "No, you don't. Sorry Ed, but a bet's a bet. I want you to lose. You want to win. Concerning this freshman, we're pinning against each other. I don't plan on making it easy for you."

I couldn't help but smile then. I couldn't agree more. Where would the fun be if he made it easy for me?

"I wouldn't have it any other way," I assured him as I walked out of the house.

.:.

I didn't plan to see Legs on my way to class, but I guess the Gods were just in my favour that day. When I spotted those two long, lean pegs walking thirty feet in front of me I couldn't help the temptation, and broke into a jog to catch up to her. I threw my usual attitude to the wind for a few minutes and tried on Jasper's strategy; one of charm. Sure, I couldn't do the complete nice guy thing that he had down to an art, but I could at least improve a bit. Legs was clearly the type of girl who liked gentlemanly behaviour. Maybe that was the way to get into her pants.

When I reached her side I turned on the charm. "Hey there darling, can I help you with your books?"

Apparently, I turned on too much charm though, because as soon as I spoke Legs dropped the various books and papers she was holding. She didn't even give me a glance as she hurried down to scoop them up. She did, however, tell me off. Again.

"For the last time, my name is not _darling_ or _babe_ or _sweet-cheeks _or anything else!" she growled as she picked up her books and slammed them into a pile. "It's _B-e-l-l-a_. If I hear another one of you arrogant, cocky jerks call me anything else _one _more time I swear to God I wi-" Legs' – well, actually _Bella's_ – ranting and raving was skidded to a halt when she had gathered her books and pushed her hair out of her face enough to look up at me. I smiled to her. Clearly, it looked more like a smirk though, because her eyes narrowed and she shot daggers at me. "Oh. It's you."

_Wow_. Cold. Hard. She hated me so much.

I kept smiling at her. I had to bite back my tongue and stop dickhead Edward from reappearing. "Hi there, _Bella_," I grinned. She winced. I had won the name war. "Here," I offered her my hand, "let me help you up."

Bella peeled her angry eyes away from me and to my hand. Ignoring it and scoffing, she got up on her own and proceeded to walk away from me without another word. Clearly my new attitude did not impress her. I had try harder.

I jogged to catch up to her again. Bella was fuming. I had to bite my cheeks to stop from smirking.

"Bella, please," I offered my hands again, trying to speak in the most sincere voice I could. It all felt so foreign, and I sucked at it, "let me carry your books to class. It's the least I can do after making you drop them."

That time I seemed to prick something in her because in the next second Bella skidded to a stop and confronted me.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.

_Uh... _Trying to win some money. Trying to get in your pants. Trying to fool you into thinking I'm a nice guy.

"Trying to be a gentleman," I explained. "I'm not a complete ass, despite what you saw yesterday."

Bella clearly believed that claim as much as I did. "You're not fooling me," she informed me before she started to walk off again. I followed.

"Come _on_, Bella. Just let me walk you to class. That's all. I _can _be a gentleman like you wanted, you know."

Bella didn't stop as she answered me. "I don't want your _chivalry_, Edward. That isn't the point."

_Huh?_ I didn't get it. Her thoughts were confusing the hell out of me.

"Then what do you want?"

Bella sighed and turned to face me, finally stopping. Her complete disinterest in me was unnerving, yet compelling. "I want you to treat people with _respect_."

"I'm treating you with 'respect' right now," I reminded her with a smirk. "You're having none of it though."

Bella rolled her eyes at my expression and shook her head. "I don't mean just _me_. I get that the way you were treating me was just because of that whole 'Fuck with a Freshman Day' thing. It's a stupid reason, but I _get it_."

I stared at her blankly. I was pulling out all the stops to impress her, yet she was not having a bar of it. She was telling me she didn't care about how I treated her, yet she got pissed off when I acted like the jerk I was. It didn't make sense.

"What _do _you care about then?"

"Tanya."

Wow. Wait. What?

"Tanya?" I repeated, dumbfounded. She simply nodded. I was taken aback. "Why do you care about her? She hates you, and you guys didn't exactly get off to a great start."

"_My _relationship with Tanya doesn't even factor into this equation," Bella sighed. "I couldn't care less whether she likes me or not. She's a human being, and the way you treated her yesterday was nothing but cruel. She deserves better than that."

Wait. What?

I couldn't even fathom that concept. Tanya was a clingy bitch who didn't take a hint. Yet, Bella insisted on my treating her with respect. Not only did I not fathom it, but the fact she cared about someone like that amazed me. Tanya hated Bella's guts and treated her like shit, yet Bella stood up for her. I had never met someone like that before. It astounded me. Why would anyone care about their enemy like that?

"You don't get it though," I told her, attempting to explain myself. "Tanya is just a clingy girl I slept with a couple of times. I had to get her off my back."

Bella didn't speak. She just looked up at me. A second later she walked away. Again.

Fucking hell.

"Wow, wait Bella," I called, running up to her again. My plan was _not _turning out well. "Where are you going? Come on. Don't be like that."

Bella skidded to a stop again. She then proceeded to spin around on her heels, not backing down. Her glare was impressive. Strong. I loved it.

"You just don't get it, do you? I don't want anything to do with you," she spat. "You're completely _incapable _of treating _anyone_ with genuine respect. You're rude. I don't want you around me. You're just... you're an asshole."

_Ouch_. Harsh. But true. I liked it.

"Well what would make you _want_ me around?"

"I would never want you around," she answered, not missing a beat.

"Humour me. Give me something. Anything."

"An apology," she answered quickly.

"Alright then," I agreed. "I'm sorry. Is that better?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Not to me. To Tanya. She's the one you treated like shit for no reason."

That shook me. She wanted me to apologise to Tanya – someone who hated her unconditionally. I couldn't understand why she would care like that. It shook me to the core, but I wouldn't let her know that.

"Not going to happen," I told her. "You have no idea what she's like."

Bella gave me that look that said I would never understand her. It wasn't judgemental. It wasn't cruel. It just said 'you don't get it, and you never will.' It almost caused me to take a step back and think twice.

"She cares about you," Bella answered. "Whatever happened between you two, she deserves a better explanation for you breaking it off than what you gave her. She deserves respect. _Everyone _deserves respect, and that's something you don't give. You must have cared about her at least _once_. Think about that. Think about it like if someone did the same thing to your little sister, cousin or niece. How would you feel then?"

Following that, Bella walked away again. For once, I didn't follow her, but she struck me more with that last statement than she would ever know. I didn't want to admit it then, and so I pushed it away as soon as I could, but Bella was getting to me.

.:.

It was halfway through my last lecture of the day – Interventional Cardiology – when movement in the seat next to me announced the arrival of a visitor. I would have ignored it, if it wasn't for the recognisable greeting that followed.

"Hi there, Cullen," Carmen chirped in her usual happy demeanour. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Isn't it, Maestro, seeing as though we are doing the same degree?" I retorted, not looking away from the lecturer.

In the corner of my eye I saw Carmen lean over the bench and peer at me curiously. She was wearing that suspicious half smile that always scared me. I became nervous, and so I turned towards her. Carmen smiled victoriously. I sighed.

"What do you want?" I asked, exasperated.

"What, aren't I allowed to catch up with an old friend without _wanting_ something?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. Carmen just smiled. She knew that I knew that she wanted something. We hardly ever talked apart from in those instances. Sure, we had been best friends as youngsters, but that changed long ago, and in the almost-decade that followed she had not been very impressed with me.

"So," she continued, "Tanya was talking to me in my lecture yesterday."

"How were you in the same lecture as Tanya?" I asked. It didn't make sense. Carmen was a senior. Tanya was a junior. They were also doing completely opposite degrees.

Carmen smiled, as if remembering something very funny. "I was just... keeping a friend company. One of the girls in my house was nervous for her first lecture, so I went for emotional support." I raised an eyebrow at her explanation and bit back hysterics. Carmen brushed me off. "Shut up, shut up," she growled. "I know."

"So... why should I care about Tanya talking to you?"

Carmen grinned then. "Well, she certainly had a _lot _to say about a certain episode with a freshman yesterday. It included a milkshake. I'm sure you remember it. The whole campus is buzzing about how the campus King was shot down by a lowly freshman girl."

_Fuck_.

I felt like repeatedly smacking my head against a brick wall.

"So what," I spat, "you're here to dig for more juicy gossip about it, huh? That's low, Car, that's really low. Even for you."

Carmen winced at her nickname from years ago. "No, I'm not digging, _Eddy_. I'm just here to chat."

"I'm not telling you anything about it," I told her coldly.

Carmen laughed then; a trilling, beautiful laugh. "Ah, the campus King is always so protective of his honour. You are such a cliché, Cullen. You know that?"

"Play nice, Car. Let's not get nasty here," I joked.

Carmen smiled. It was strange how easily we fell back into the role of friends, even though we hadn't been for years.

"Well then, you're not going to like what I'm about to say, because it _is_ about to get a little nasty," she warned. "I'm about to give you a... _friendly _warning."

The way she said friendly didn't sound so friendly.

"Shoot."

"I know who the freshman is, Edward," she told me.

_Fuuuuuuuuck_.

"Bella," I nodded.

Carmen nodded along. "Yes, Bella. She's in my sorority house. And as you know, that makes me her House Mother."

_Aw, shit_. Things just got a whole lot more complicated.

"Come on, Car," I pleaded. I had always found it strange how blunt we were together; how easily we gelled as friends even after everything. She still felt like the sister I never had. "Don't do this."

"I have to, Edward. Unlike most girls here, I know what you're really like."

"If you remember rightly, when we were friends, I was actually a nice guy," I reminded her.

Carmen nodded in apologetic agreement. "And sadly, we haven't been friends like that since seventh grade."

True.

"I know what you're going to say," I told her.

"Good," Carmen agreed. "Then it won't shock you so much. I'm telling you this early so you can back off before hurting her. Stay _away _from Bella. Don't go near her, and don't screw her over."

"Who says I'm going to screw her over?" I argued pointlessly.

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "It's _you_, Edward. You've screwed over every girl you've showed any interest in since seventh grade. But you are _not _going to do it to Bella."

"Why do you even care? It's not like you've showed any interest before."

"_Before_ you never showed an interest in anyone I cared about," Carmen explained. "And trust me, in high school I tried. But remember I wasn't exactly the most popular person around. Hell, I'm still not. Generally girls throw themselves at you, so I don't get in the way, because it's their choice. Now it's different with Bella."

"How is it different?" I rebutted.

"She wants nothing to do with you," Carmen answered bluntly. "And I know that you don't settle well when you want something you can't have. And I know that you will also employ any ways necessary to scoop her up."

"Damn, you do know me well," I chuckled, needing to lighten the air.

"This isn't funny, Edward," Carmen warned, suddenly very dark. "I've seen you hurt plenty of girls in the years I've known you, but the bar stops here. I don't want you messing with anyone in _my house_. I don't want you hurting my girls. Bella is a _nice person_. She's genuine and intelligent and independent. I won't let you destroy that."

Ouch. That pricked at a sensitive spot. It hurt to hear, only because of how true it was, and how much I hated myself for it. Carmen was bluntly honest and although it hurt to hear, I admired it in her. She was the perfect House Mother; maternal, kind, sympathetic and protective. It was just a shame we were officially on opposing teams. I wouldn't tell her about the bet of course, but I knew then that she was yet _another _enemy to my cause. It was a shame, really. Carmen was strong. She was unique and her own person. We were completely different – I was the yin to her yang – but we gelled somehow. It would have been nice to be on her side again. But I knew also that we would never be on the same side, because I was batting for one evil team. I pushed that thought away quickly, though.

"I know you won't," I answered simply. Fuck, did I know. But it didn't matter to me. I still had to prove Emmett wrong. I still had to win. I still had to succeed in having those legs wrapped around me. They were officially off limits, and pushing limits was my specialty. I was never denied anything, and I had never met a girl who did _not_ want me. Normally girls threw themselves on me. Why would Bella be any different? Why _her_?

Carmen was watching me carefully. She saw no change in my resolution. It was always scary how well she could read me.

"You're still going to go after her, aren't you?" she replied, more like a statement than a question.

I looked to Carmen then. She was pleading with me to say that I wasn't. Sadly, I couldn't lie to her.

"You wouldn't understand," I told her.

Carmen sighed. The way she looked at me showed nothing but disappointment. "You'd be surprised by what I understand," she told me. "Part of the reason why I've never hated you is because I understand why you act the way you do. You're not as big a mystery as you think you are, Edward. At least not to me."

"You don't know anything about me," I spat coldly. I didn't want her to think she did, either. No one did. No one knew the full story. No one understood.

"I knew you well enough until seventh grade. I watched you in the years after that. You'd be surprised," she answered simply. "I'm not a stranger to your family, Edward. I know what goes on."

At that sentence I had had enough. There would be no more discussions with Carmen. There would be no more soul searching. I was shutting off that chapter of the year and opening a new, fresh, worry-free, bet-focused chapter. In search of that chapter I stormed out of the lecture hall and headed to find a secluded place to get my fucking head together.

You may ask where the place where I went to get my head together was. I'd say the campus cafe. You may ask what I did to get my head together. I'd say have sex. It didn't so much get my head together as it numbed me from everything. After quarter of an hour in the cafe I was approached by a fiery red headed junior. After listening to her drone on for a good twenty minutes I felt her leg rubbing up against mine. Maybe Carmen was right about them throwing themselves on me, because five minutes later she was leading me into the men's bathroom and shoving the door stop under the door without so much as a word of compliance from me. What Carmen didn't get, however, was that most of the time it wasn't me who searched them out. Girls came to me, and I just did nothing to stop them. Was it my fault when they cried over me not calling them back? I didn't think so.

I didn't know the redhead's name, and as bent down in front of me to get to work, I realised I couldn't do it. Something held me back. I couldn't even fathom the idea of having some random girl touch me. Not that day. My head was too screwed up to be able to go through with it. Carmen had fucked with me – the old friend who could hit too close to home. Bella was sticking on my mind like glue – the freshman who proved a challenge, but who also proved to be one of the most kind, strong and independent people I knew. I just couldn't deal with anything else.

When I broke the news to the girl she slipped her number into my hand – which I dropped straight into the trash – and walked away. She was strangely accepting; hopeful for a second shot, I think. I just couldn't handle it though. I couldn't handle any of it. As I looked at myself in the mirror, for what felt like the millionth time, I felt that familiar prick; that prick that said that what I was doing was wrong. It was that prick that reminded me every single day what a useless waste of space I had become. It was the prick that reminded me how screwed up I really was. It was the prick that reminded me what a horrible person I was. It was the prick that ignited the rage I felt against my very existence. It was the prick that told me I would never escape the hell of who I was; the hell that Carmen reminded me of far too easily.

It was the prick that I then pushed away by downing the vodka I had stashed in a flask in my bag before heading back to the house to face Emmett's taunts. I had to get back on track. I had to return to normalcy; numbness. I wouldn't veer off course.

.:.

**Author's Note: So, that was a bit of a darker chapter nearer the end, but I needed to get it out there to start working on some more character development and plot-moulding. You know, that schtuff. Anyway, thank you to everyone for the great responses so far! You're all amazing! Please review and tell me your thoughts. I may not be able to reply to reviews for a few days because I'm heading off on a road trip with my brother for a week tomorrow, but I will reply eventually. Thanks for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Freshmeat  
**Chapter 4 – Game

.:.

_Bella POV_

Wednesday evening was supposed to be dull night in. It was four o'clock and Rosalie, Alice and I were in our room getting a head start on the day's assignments. We had been lucky enough to be granted a triple room with three single beds. It was on the western side of the house overlooking the front yard. We hadn't expected to do much that afternoon, but apparently Carmen _definitely _had plans for us. At four o'clock on the dot she burst into our room, bright faced and bushy tailed, to announce the afternoon's activities.

"Girls! Get up, now. We have to go!"

"What's wrong?" Rosalie demanded, suddenly worried. No doubt she expected the worst.

"Nothing's..._wrong_," Carmen promised, unable to hold back her excitement. "It's just...there's somewhere you girls need to be." Upon saying this, Carmen sent me a poignant glance.

"Uh...we're kind of busy," I reminded her, motioning to the mounds of books and paper on our respective beds.

"Well, now you're _un_-busy," Carmen popped. "Come on. Get up!"

At that, Alice leaped off her bed, immersing herself in the excitement. "Where are we going?" she asked as she rushed to the mirror to fix her hair. "Please, please, please tell me it's a party! I've always wanted to go to one of those!"

Carmen grinned. "No. It's not a party. It's...uh...football practice."

_Huh?_

Rosalie and I stared at Carmen in confusion. Even Alice stopped moving.

"But we don't play football..." she told Carmen hesitantly.

"I don't mean for you guys, silly!" Carmen laughed. I didn't see what was funny. Neither did Rosalie. "I mean for the college team. You know, the Cardinals. Some of my friends are in the team and I thought it would be a good chance for you girls to meet some..._good_ guys. We are just going to watch. Kate and I were going to go – her boyfriend plays in the team – but then I thought of you girls, and decided to ask if you wanted to join us."

Kate was a senior, Carmen's roommate and also her second in command, so to speak. Things were starting to make sense.

"Football players?" Alice questioned nervously, suddenly back to the introverted Alice from high school. I understood her hesitation. Football players had never really been nice to her in high school. "Oh, I don't know, Carmen. I don't really like Football players..."

"These guys aren't mean. I swear," Carmen promised. "I _wouldn't_ introduce you to jerks. In fact, these guys are really cool. I've known the quarter back for years. He's really friendly."

Alice and I shared apprehensive glances. She was scared of football players and I...well, I just didn't like them. From my experience of high school football players, they were nothing but brutish jerks. However, we knew that Rosalie didn't share that opinion.

"I'm in!" Rosalie agreed, pushing off her bed. "I _love_ football players."

To say Rosalie didn't have a type is _generally_ true. She liked a variety of guys. However, I do have to be honest and say she did have a little _soft spot_ for football players. It wasn't so much the _football_ thing as it was the '_they-are-big-and-strong-and-that's-hot' _thing. She liked a guy to be taller than her, and for the statuesque Rosalie, that was harder to find than it was for Alice or me. Plus, she did like athletes.

"Awesome!" Carmen exclaimed before turning to Alice and I. "Bella? Alice? Are you girls coming? Please say yes. You won't regret it. I swear. It will be fun."

Alice let out a small sigh and shrugged. Clearly she was throwing in the towel. "Sure thing. Why not? It will be fun...I guess."

Carmen smiled victoriously before turning to me and raising an expectant eyebrow. I gave her my answer straight away.

"Sure, I'm in."

.:.

Alice, Rosalie, Carmen, Kate and I arrived at the football field twenty minutes later. The team was already half way into practice, performing various drills and sprints for what I guessed were warm-ups. My knowledge about football was always very limited. For all I knew, they could have been doing something completely different than what I suspected.

Carmen led us over to sit on the bleachers. Before giving me a chance to sit down Carmen grabbed my arm to ensure we sat next to each other. Rosalie, on my other side, looked on suspiciously, but let it slide as Kate and Alice took their seats on each end – Kate taking hers' after waving at a boy on the field I presumed to be her boyfriend.

Shouts and calls coming from the team floated up to us as they tossed half a dozen balls around and ran between cones and bodies. I, in all honesty, had no idea _what_ was happening. All I saw was a sea of red and white. Next to me, Rosalie was smiling with amusement and nudging my elbow when an impressive looking move caught her eye. A few minutes later Carmen started nudging my arm. Very rapidly. It was then that I knew she had something to show me.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"Do you see number eight over there in the red jersey?" she asked, pointing towards the field. I followed her and soon spotted who she was meaning, running sprints through cones.

"Yup."

"That's Jacob," Carmen explained, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. That made me suspicious. "He's a junior, and the quarter back."

"Is that the one you have known for ages?"

Carmen nodded. "Yep. That's him. He grew up in the same town as me. I want you to meet him. He's really nice. I can see you two happening."

Her last sentence had me shocked. Clearly Carmen's underlying motives for our afternoon's activities was matchmaking, and sadly, I wanted nothing to do with it. It wasn't that I doubted Carmen's judgement. I just _really_ didn't want a boyfriend, and if I ever did, I wanted to pick my own.

"Carmen..." I scolded.

Carmen held her hand up in defence. "I know, I know," she assured me. "You don't want to be set up, blah, blah, blah. Just...just give Jacob a try. He's really sweet, and much better than any other boys you've met so far."

Immediately I caught on to _exactly_ what she was trying to avoid.

"This is about that Edward guy, isn't it?" I asked.

Carmen shrugged absentmindedly. "Well...kind of...I mean...No. Not completely. I just think you should meet Jacob. He has other friends on the team too. Rose and Ally might be interested."

I didn't even get a chance to reply to that.

"Oh, I'm definitely interested!" Rosalie interrupted. "Sign me up."

Carmen grinned. "Great. What about you, Alice?"

Alice shrugged, clearly hesitant. "I don't know..." she admitted. "I'm not really into football players, and I kind of have my eyes on someone else..."

Carmen brightened up at the thought of Alice liking someone already. "Oh, who is it?" she demanded. "Do you know his name? What does he look like?"

Alice was about to answer Carmen's question when Rosalie interrupted her. "No need to fit the puzzle pieces together. He's right over there. The blonde one," she said, motioning towards the bottom of the bleachers.

We all followed Rosalie's signals. As soon as eyes landed on who she meant, there were various reactions. All were due to the fact that not only was Alice's crush heading over, but his two friends were as well – Edward Cullen included. In these reactions, Alice almost squealed with delight. I groaned. Carmen looked shocked, and a bit angry. Kate, however, was the only on to speak.

"Jasper Whitlock?" she questioned. "_Really_?"

"That's his name?" Alice checked excitedly. "_Jasper_," she mouthed, testing how it rolled off her tongue. She always had a thing for names. "Jasper. I like that name. It's a nice name."

"But he's not exactly a nice _person_," Carmen warned.

Alice brushed off her comment. "He seems perfectly fine."

"_Seems_," Kate repeated, "not _is_."

"He's just like Edward and Emmett; a dick," Carmen added.

Alice frowned. "Now that's just rude. You can't clump them together like that."

"Wait, who's Emmett?" Rosalie asked.

"Emmett McCarty. The big guy," Kate answered.

Rosalie smiled at the answer, seductively leaning her chin on her hand and peering at the approaching Emmett. She sure did like guys with muscles.

"Oh," was all she said, already wrapped up in thoughts of him.

Carmen sent an aggravated glance at Edward – who was then walking up the stairs towards us – before turning to me and pulling on my arm. Edward was wearing that typical smirk that made me want to smack his face.

"You know what? I think we should go, Bella. We can talk to Jacob later," she told me, trying to pull me up. "Come on, come on."

Confused and startled, I looked to her in shock and stumbled my way up. "Uh...wait...what? Where are we going?"

"You guys are leaving?" Alice asked.

"Yes, we're going," Carmen answered.

"But you can't leave now," Rosalie interjected, stirred away from Emmett-thoughts. "What about those guys you want us to meet?"

Carmen brushed off her comment. "We can do that later. Come _on_, Bella," she insisted, pulling on my arm. _Clearly_ she wanted to get away from someone very quickly. My bet was Edward.

"Okay, okay," I agreed, aggravated. "Just let me grab my bag."

The whole situation was doing my head in. Suddenly, I felt very dizzy, and as I leant down to grab my bag from under my seat, I had to catch myself to stop myself from falling over. That meant nearly everything spilt out. I had to kneel down and scoop it all back up again. Rosalie and Alice were still bickering with Carmen about the sudden decision to leave. Soon, Rosalie caught on to the approaching boys and put the pieces together. Carmen was clearly not a fan of theirs. A moment later, as I stood up with my bag finally intact and shoved my frizzy mess of hair away from my eyes, the ticking time bomb ended, because Cullen's voice hit us like a wrecking ball.

"Ladies," he greeted, stepping up on the bleacher below ours' before leaping nimbly down to stand next to Alice. "Going somewhere, are we?"

Edward sent a mischievous glance to Carmen. She replied with a resentful glare. His eyes then flickered to me. That stupid arrogant smirk came back. I just looked at him blankly. Sure, he thought he looked charming as hell, but in reality he looked like an imbecile.

Alice was fawning next to him, staring at him like she was a child and he was a ten foot high lollipop. When his two friends – Jasper and Emmett – walked up behind him, Alice's focus flickered to the blonde cowboy. She was absolutely smitten.

"We were just leaving," Carmen answered sharply. "If you'll excuse us..." she tested, nodding in an attempt to get him to unblock our exit.

Edward craned his neck to the left. When his eyes flicked to Carmen a little twinkle of curiosity crossed his features.

"What's the matter, Car? In a rush? I thought you liked me," he teased.

Carmen's own cheeky grin crossed her features. "I guess you thought wrong."

Edward chuckled at her spite. Rosalie was watching the interactions with suspicion. I hadn't informed her of my discussion with Carmen concerning Edward or about my second run in with him. This was all new to her.

Edward didn't answer Carmen. Instead he just laughed off her comment and turned towards Kate. She was looking at him with a very unimpressed expression.

"Kate," he noted with a fake smile. "I haven't seen you around for what; two months?"

Kate smirked at him coldly. "Damn. If only it had lasted for longer."

Edward chuckled, clearly enjoying the cold treatment he was receiving. "Charming as ever, I see," he noted.

"Cocky as ever, I see," Kate retorted cruelly.

Edward winked at that comment. "And I wouldn't change for the world."

"Clearly," Kate spat.

"What do you want, Edward?" Carmen interrupted, growing sick of their banter.

Edward looked to her in fake shock. "What? I can't just come and say hi to old friends without wanting something?"

"We're not _friends_, Cullen," Kate spat.

"I wasn't talking about _you_, LaBow," he replied as he glanced to Carmen and then me. "I actually wanted to talk to Bella."

"Like I said, we were just leaving," Carmen interrupted.

"I'm sure Bella can spare a minute," he replied calmly, raising an eyebrow at me.

_Hmm...Ah, no._

"I'd rather not," I answered simply.

"What; you don't like me either?" he asked.

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Humour me," he answered sharply, his expression suddenly wiped of any playful manner. "Five minutes, please?"

Edward's expression was serious. It worried me; made me wonder what he wanted to talk to me about. Was it something important? Hesitantly I glanced to Carmen. She subtly shook her head. Then I looked to Rosalie. She shrugged. At that point Edward grumbled.

"Don't worry about what they think," he growled, suddenly very angry. That look frightened me. "Of course they don't want you to talk to me, so let's just ignore them for a second. It's just five minutes, please?"

"No, Edward," Carmen reiterated. "I said we have to leave."

Edward ignored her and looked at me. The way his eyes bore into me had me startled. I wondered why he was suddenly so desperate; angry. More than anything I was concerned that something was seriously wrong. So, hesitantly, I nodded.

"Sure. Five minutes," I agreed.

The reactions of Carmen and Kate clearly showed displeasure. Alice didn't seem to mind either way, and as soon as Edward was out of the way she jumped on the chance to talk to Jasper. Rosalie, on the other hand, was watching me curiously, trying to figure out what in the world was going on. In all honesty, I shared her curiosity. Edward was doing my head in. One minute he was a dick and the next he was suddenly serious and concerned. I didn't want to be rude to him, but I had definitely made clear my distaste for him. Still, he continued on, for some reason that I couldn't understand.

Edward started walking away without another word. I followed, jumping over the seats of the bleachers. Eventually we got to the bottom of the bleachers on the opposite side of the others. It was only then that he turned around to me. This mysteriousness had me on edge.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked apprehensively.

Edward glanced up to me, looking very nervous, and started pacing along the wooden boards, from the fence to the bleachers and back again. Still, he didn't answer me. His silence was irritating and unnerving. I marvelled at his rapid change in attitude from cocky as hell to a bundle of nerves.

"Stop moving, Edward," I growled. "You wanted to talk, so talk."

Edward did as he was told – stopped moving – and glanced at me apprehensively.

"This is so weird," he sighed before flicking his glance away and continuing his pacing. He shoved my annoyed gauge up another notch.

"No. The weird thing is you not talking to me like you wanted to. If you are just going to keep pacing like that I'm leaving," I said, stepping away from him. I didn't want to play his games. I didn't want anything to do with him. If he had nothing important to say there was no reason for me to stay.

As I went to move away Edward grabbed my hand and held me still. My eyes shot up to his, startled. The look he gave me set me even closer to the edge. He looked torn and nervous. He wasn't that cocky son-of-a-bitch I had met twice before. I couldn't pick out whether it was real or an act. Was he trying to gain my trust or was he legitimately not the cocky son-of-a-gun I thought he was?

"Let me go," I told him, yanking my arm away.

"Alright," he sighed, releasing me. "Alright. I'm sorry. It's just...it's just I'm not meant to do this."

I rolled my eyes at the comment. "I have a feeling that rules don't generally mean shit to you. Just spit it out, Cullen."

Edward smirked at my comment. And so returned the cocky son-of-a-bitch from previous meetings.

"It's about Full Moon on the Quad on Friday," he said. "You know what that is, right?"

I nodded. "That thing where seniors choose a freshman to kiss."

"Right," he nodded. "Well, the general rule for that thing is that seniors don't announce their picks at all. It's just supposed to happen on the night so the freshmen are left to soak in their nervous juices for the entire week, you know?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I know."

Personally, I thought the whole thing was pretty pseudo-harassment. I mean, being spontaneously kissed by someone you don't know is pretty dodgy, right? You know, the I-have-no-say-in-who-I-will-be-locking-lips-with thing is pretty gross. Sure, some may say I was looking too much into it, but I didn't care.

"Well, I had an idea you wouldn't like that whole rule," he continued. "So I'm going to break it."

Nice observations.

"True. I don't," I agreed. "But it doesn't matter. I'm not going."

Edward looked shocked at that.

"Wait. _What_?"

"I'm not going," I repeated simply.

His shocked expression still wasn't gone. "But you have to go. It's a right of passage."

"Is there some sort of law stating that?" I tested.

"Well, no, but..."

"Exactly," I popped. "I don't want to be kissed by some random guy I don't know. How is that enjoyable?"

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Well you're a bucket of fun, aren't you," he chuckled sarcastically.

_What?_

Asshole.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I growled.

Edward smirked. "You're boring," he answered. "You can't even loosen up enough to take part in a college tradition. You're dull."

"I'm not _boring _or _dull_," I spat, anger filling me. He had absolutely no idea, and until he did, he had no right to judge me. "Just because I don't want to be fondled and kissed by some random, _sleazy_ member of the senior class does not mean I'm boring. It _means_ I don't want to be fucking harassed by some jackass with wandering hands and an eat-shit attitude." Edward looked at me, shocked, as I bore into him. I couldn't help myself. His ignorance was awe-inducing. "You're such an _asshole_."

Edward was still staring at me with wide eyes. It took him a few moments to shake his thoughts together.

"Wow. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just..."

"Forget it," I said quickly, brushing off any more possible awkward conversations. I didn't want that; especially not with him. "Just forget it."

"I've never thought about it like that," he acknowledged.

"Why did you even bring it up?" I asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

"It doesn't matter," he answered quickly, seemingly trying to cover up his tracks.

I clicked on immediately.

Holy shit.

I narrowed my eyes and took a step closer to Edward, peering at him suspiciously. "You've got to be kidding me. Were you going to break the rule...for _me? _Am I the freshman you were going to choose?"

Edward gaped at me. "What are you talking about? Of course not. Don't flatter yourself."

Nervous Edward had returned.

"You were, weren't you?" I persisted. "You were going to ask if you could kiss me."

"Oh God, shut up," Edward growled.

"Come on. You can tell me the truth. Was the King of Stanford _really_ going to ask for the permission of a lowly freshman for a kiss on Full Moon on the Quad? _Really?_" I teased.

Edward was still pacing. Only now, he seemed furious. He was running his hands through his shaggy bronze hair in stress. A second later, he growled, and spun around to face me.

"You know what?" Edward spat. "Maybe I _was_ going to ask you if it was okay. Maybe I _was_ trying to be a good person and treat you with respect instead of thrusting a random kiss on you. Maybe I _was_ trying to be good to you and show respect like you asked. Maybe I _was_ trying to change. But now you can just forget it. I don't even know what I was thinking."

What he said made me back-track.

In our last meeting, I had asked him to change – to be _respectful_. Now, he was doing just that, and I was shoving it back in his face with a laugh and a disbelieving attitude; not believing that he _could _change and be a better person. I was a horrible person for doing that.

Then, there are always two sides to every story. There was still an actual _reason _why I believed he was a dick. That was the way he treated Tanya. Sure, he could jump down my throat when I acted on the suspicions of his real motives, but wasn't there some legitimacy to my claims? There was a reason why I laughed at his new found attitude. That was the way he had acted on the two previous days. I couldn't just forget that and believe he had undertaken a major revamp of his personality. There had to be something more to it. I also had to consider Carmen's warning. It made me weary of all of his approaches.

"Alright then, Edward," I tested. "So you're trying to change, right? That must also mean that you apologised to Tanya as well, right?"

Edward snapped back to reality at the mention of her name. "Er...well...that's different..."

"No, it's not different," I reiterated. "You treated Tanya like a piece of dirt, and that's not on. Until you apologise to her and give her a heartfelt reason why you broke it off, I don't believe you've changed _one bit_. And until then, I don't want a single thing to do with you. I _definitely_ don't want to kiss you."

"Seriously?" Edward demanded. "You're still hung up on that? Jesus, it's like I have to move heaven and earth just to talk to you! You've got to be the most demanding girl on the planet. I've never had to work this hard for a girl before!"

_Huh_. Arrogant jackass.

"You don't need to move heaven and earth, Cullen," I explained. "Just become a decent human being. That _shouldn't _be hard work."

"Well it fucking _is_," Edward spat under his breath. He then sighed loudly and walked over to the fence, leaning against it. After a few moments he gathered his composure. "Alright, so if I apologise to Tanya you will let me kiss you at Full Moon on the Quad?"

"No."

"Then what the hell is it going to get me?" he demanded.

"If you think I'm going to _bargain_ with you about this you are sadly off course," I growled. "I won't swap my company for your good deeds, Edward. That's not how life works."

Edward threw his hands up in the air. "But that's what you've been asking me to do! If I apologise to Tanya you will talk to me. That's what you said!"

"Actually, I didn't," I reminded him. "I've told you _numerous _times I don't want anything to do with you, and I _meant that_. When you asked me to use my imagination and give you _one_ thing to do that would make me be able to deal being around you, I said apologise to Tanya. And strangely enough, you _haven't done that_. I won't hang around with someone who I have to _tell_ to apologise to a girl they hurt. Clearly you have noconscience, because you can't get this through your head. I'm _not _going to be your teacher and give you a gold star on your 'treat people with respect' homework every week. You're not meant to get a prize. It's meant to be something you do _naturally_ because you _want to_. I don't want anything to do with someone who _can't do that_."

Edward was growing more and more aggravated. Throwing his hands up in the air, he growled at me. "I'm _trying_ though, Bella. Damn, I am trying. Why else do you think I brought up this kiss thing?"

"You're right," I acknowledged with a sigh. "You tried. But Edward, that doesn't change much. You did it to get a _pay off._ That's not the point of being a good person. Tanya's still hurting, and you're still a dick to most of the people you meet."

Edward bit his lip to stop himself from answering straight away. With a sigh he walked over to the bleacher to sit down. He buried his head in his hands and slowly took deep, calming breaths.

After a minute, he spoke. "You're right. You are. I haven't apologised to Tanya." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a mobile phone. "But I will now."

Before I could say a single thing Edward was jumping over the bleachers, heading towards the back and dialling his phone. I was left there, shocked, wondering what the hell was going on.

Ten minutes passed. Edward was talking very fervently into his phone. I found myself sitting on the bottom bleacher, watching the football practice play out. Every so often I flicked my glance to the others. Alice and Jasper were talking together – Alice _very _excitedly. She was actually blushing, which had me amused. Emmett and Rosalie were also with Alice and Jasper, having their own conversation while also chatting to the other two every so often. Carmen and Kate, however, were not very happy at all. I tried to avoid looking at them.

Once he was finished Edward came back down the bleachers and stood in front of me.

"Done," he popped, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "I apologised to her and let her down easy. I have cleansed my soul. Is that alright?"

I raised an eyebrow. "It's going to take a lot more than that to cleanse your soul. I have a feeling it's pretty dirty."

"Most girls like to get a little dirty though," he drawled with a smirk.

Jackass was back.

My expression didn't change as I looked at him. "See? You haven't changed one bit."

Edward snapped back to reality then. "I...I was just joking."

"This isn't the right time to make sex jokes," I rebutted.

Edward nodded. "Alright. Okay. You're right. I deserved that. But I have changed. I swear... And...I know that my apology to Tanya does not win a kiss, but can't it make us...I don't know..._acquaintances_?"

"Acquaintances?" I asked. "No, Edward. I don't know..."

"Don't," Edward told me, holding his hand up. "Don't make any excuses. I know I'm an asshole. I know you don't want anything to do with me. It's just...I _am_ changing. Just...don't shut me out right away, okay?"

"Edward, I don't-"

"_Please_?" he begged. "Acquaintances is all I ask for. Give me one chance. Can't you see I'm trying?"

Things were getting too weird between us. His rapid changes in attitude were giving me whiplash. Standing up and moving away from him, I shrugged.

"I know you're trying," I agreed. "But I just can't."

Simply, I didn't trust him – I didn't trust what he was doing. I couldn't pick out whether it was genuine or an act, and that scared me. I was constantly reminded of my discussion with Carmen. Sure, it was pretty ambiguous, but she said he was dangerous and didn't settle well when he wanted something he couldn't have. And in honesty, I trusted Carmen's judgement more than I could ever trust him. The fact that he had tried to swap a good deed for payment hit another nail into that coffin. I didn't know if he was really trying to change or if he was just trying to add another notch to his belt. To trust him, I had to see him change without wanting anything in return.

Before Edward could reply I shrugged and walked off the bleachers and back to the house.

.:.

I was working on my week's assignments, my head half in the clouds, when Alice and Rosalie arrived home. Their entrance was very loud. I could hear them even as they walked up the path outside. As soon as the front door swung open their banter hit me like a big yellow school bus. When they got into our room, Alice was exuberant. Her cheeks were brightly coloured and she skipped over to her bed like a ballerina. Rosalie and I both watched, amused.

"What's got her so happy?" I asked Rosalie as she walked over to her own bed.

"Whitlock," Rosalie popped as she sat down.

"_Jasper _Whitlock," Alice corrected, narrowing her eyes at Rosalie before turning to me and plastering on a smile. "Oh, he's so nice, Bella!"

As always, her enthusiasm for the opposite sex had me amazed. I suppose there is a first for everything.

"Tell me what happened," I said with a smile.

Alice giggled behind her hand. Rosalie watched with wide eyes – obviously concerned about her friend. She absolutely resentedwhen girls got all giggly over boys. She didn't believe in love – only _sex_.

"Oh, Bella, he's so _charming_. And nice. And _southern_. He grew up in Texas and he still has that cute southern drawl. You know how much I _love_ a southern drawl."

Rosalie raised an eyebrow. "You've never liked southern drawls before!"

"Oh, shush!" Alice scolded. "He's just so..._nice_. And _charming_. And _southern_."

"You've said that," I reminded her.

Alice ignored me. "I think I'm in love."

Oh shit.

"_What?_" Rosalie demanded, her mouth hanging open in shock.

Alice smiled dreamily. "I think I'm in _love_," she reiterated.

She was so naive. It was entertaining, but worrying.

"Oh shit," Rosalie sighed.

"Alice," I interrupted. "Honey, trust me. You're not in _love._ You're in _lust_. You can't love a guy after one meeting."

"_Two _meetings!" Alice claimed. "And I _am_ in love. Love at first sight."

Rosalie fake-gagged. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Love at first sight does not exist!"

"Yes it does!" Alice insisted. "Didn't you see the way he smiled at me? He loves me too!"

"He was being _polite_!" Rosalie rebutted.

"Well...well...you love Emmett!" Alice claimed. "I could see it!"

Rosalie gaped. "What in the world? I don't love Emmett. That's just silly."

"But you kept touching him and giggling!"

"That's called _flirting_," Rosalie explained. "I don't _love_ him. I just love his _muscles_."

"Well, I don't care," Alice huffed. "I love Jasper."

"Ally, sweety," I interrupted. "Please don't say that. You barely know the guy."

"But I do!"

"Ally, sweety, no, please. Okay, listen. You don't know him. Please just promise me that you won't act on this..._love_ for a while. You heard what Carmen and Kate said. He's not really that nice," I tried.

"Don't judge him just because he hangs around with Edward dickhead Cullen," Alice growled. I couldn't help but laugh at that. Her expression was hilarious.

"Speaking of dickhead Cullen," Rosalie interjected. "What were you guys talking about? It seemed pretty..._animated_."

The reminder of my conversation with him made me groan loudly. I didn't want to remember how confused I was about him.

"It was nothing," I told her. "It was just about that Full Moon on the Quad thing. I told him I wanted nothing to do with him because he's an ass. He didn't take that too well."

"You really said that?" Rosalie asked, disbelieving. "_Why?_"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Rosalie shrugged. "Well...it's just...he's hot. And he's clearly into you. What could it hurt?"

"What could what hurt?"

Rosalie smirked. "Getting to know him."

I looked at her, shocked, and shook my head quickly. "My dignity. My pride. Every moral fibre in my body."

"He's _that_ bad?" Rosalie asked.

"You have no idea. He said he's trying to change, but I don't trust him."

"Wow. Wow. Wow. Wait. _What_?" Rosalie demanded. "He's _changing_? For _you_? Huh! He does like you!"

I frowned at her. "No, Rose, he doesn't."

"Yes he does! Why else would he say he's trying to _change_? He _likes you_!"

"No, he doesn't," I reiterated. "He just doesn't like the fact that I want nothing to do with him. It's that whole 'I can't have you, so I want you even more' thing. He's playing a game and I'm not falling for it."

Rosalie's mouth formed a little 'o' then. "Oh...He's one of _those_ guys."

"Hence why..."

"You want nothing to do with him," Rosalie reaffirmed. "I got it."

.:.

**Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I've had a really busy few weeks, and right now I'm recovering from my wisdom teeth removal operation, so I'm sorry if this chapter isn't up to par. I'm in a lot of pain. Anyway, all of you readers and reviewers are amazing. Seriously. You all make my day. Thank you so much. Please do review and tell me what you think of this chapter. Do you agree with Bella that he is just putting on an act or do you disagree and think he is legitimately trying? Are you on Edward or Bella's side? I'm really interested to hear your thoughts.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Freshmeat  
**Chapter 5 – Acting

.:.

_Edward POV_

My tactics with Bella were not working. That was the simple truth. When I tried to do what I thought she wanted she threw me a curveball and proved that I had to do a hell of a lot more than just try to fake a bit of care. She didn't like me, and she didn't want anything to do with me – at least not until I made a considerable change. I had barely three months to get my head together, flip her to my side of the tracks and get her to sleep with me. It wasn't an easy task, and with Emmett betting against me, Tanya throwing a fit and Carmen doing everything in her power to stop it all, I had my work cut out for me. Midnight on December the eleventh was my cut-off – the day the Autumn Quarter exams finished. Basically, I was screwed if I didn't start putting some serious work in.

I knew who I had to turn to for help on _exactly_ what I needed: Jasper. He worked the charm like no one's business, and in the process he roped in girls, eager and willing. I had to take a page out of his book.

I headed towards his room at the far end of the house, knocking hesitantly as I entered. The place was the virtual projection of his personality, plastered with various posters of bands he knew and loved – The Clash, Ramones, Led Zeppelin, Nine Inch Nails and Santana; so much so that you could barely see the orange of his walls through it all. Emmett and I had both raised cynical eyebrows at his choice of room colour, but Jasper just spat out some bullshit about sunsets and dry deserts and beauty before telling us to shove it. We had, but still chuckled about it when he wasn't around. In his room, Jasper liked everything to be on the floor. His bed was a mattress on the floor, never made, and the old grey carpet he had avoided changing was coated in a thick mat of pillows, blankets, books, papers and records. He avoided CD's like they were the devil reincarnated, swearing he had been born in the wrong generation, and that he would pretend to be in the right one for as long as possible. His intense love of music was something he and I had bonded over, and his odd ways kept us all entertained.

When I entered the room, it reeked of pot, and he was lying on the bed, cowboy booted foot folded on one knee, t-shirt and unbuttoned flannel on, fedora tipped to cover his eyes as he texted in one hand and held a whiskey glass in the other. Jasper was a gem of contradictions; stoner, muso, intellect, southerner and ladies' man with a mischievous grin, all rolled into one. He hadn't just reshaped the uppity mould his parents planned for him; he lit it on fire and threw it out the window with a flick of the middle finger.

"Cullen," he noted dryly, not holding back that southern drawl that came out when he was wasted. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I need your Guru advice, Ghandi. Quit texting."

Jasper didn't budge. I couldn't see his eyes, but the little smirk that formed said he wasn't really listening to me, his thumb dancing over the keys of the cell in his hand.

"Repeat," Jasper instructed after a moment's silence. "I didn't catch your drift."

My eyes flickered to the little silver device in his hand. "Who the hell are you texting? You never text. I thought you boycotted that shit."

"Perky brunette. Friend of your challenge," he answered simply. "She likes me."

"Of course she does," I muttered under my breath.

Jasper didn't answer me. He didn't even hear me. After another long silence he took a deep breath, tossed the phone to the side, and tilted his fedora up, finally acknowledging me.

"I'm all yours," he popped.

"Kinky ass," I smirked.

Jasper gave me a playful look. He was in a good mood. "You're not my type."

I chuckled at his banter and flicked my eyes to the whiskey glass sweating in his palm. "Dude, it's four o'clock. Starting a bit early, aren't we?"

Jasper smirked at me, swirling the glass in his palm. "It's called an _aperitif_, you boorish imbecile."

"_Aperitif?_" I questioned.

Jasper laughed to himself. "Right. I forget. Your ass failed French."

"Every year," I added proudly.

"Slacker," he muttered.

"Fucker," I corrected. "Libby McKnight. _Fine_."

"That's right," Jasper remembered. "You two would cut class and play poke under the bleachers."

"Boy's locker room," I rectified. "Shower."

"Unless it's up my ass, I really don't care for the details of where your dick has been," he reminded me.

"Hey, you started this little trip down memory lane," I replied, holding up defensive hands.

"This is true," Jasper admitted, taking a sip of his drink. "But you took the wheel and slammed on the gas pedal. Speaking of trips, what brings you on the one to my humble abode?"

"Advice," I repeated for the third time. "Don't you ever listen?"

"Not really." Jasper shrugged, unabashed. "Now, let me guess: this has something to do with the Bella chick, right?"

Psychic bastard. "Right."

"She's not letting you in, correct?"

"Correct."

"And you realise that me helping you is completely contradictory to my interests in this bet, correct?"

_Dammit_. "I forgot about that," I admitted, downtrodden.

Jasper chuckled to himself as he mulled the thought over in his mind, chewing the inside of his cheek. A moment later, he came up with a decision.

"But then again, watching you fail as badly as you are now is just painful," he admitted, pushing his fedora off and taking another drink. "It's even starting to rub off bad on Em and I. Hell, you've already started to become a joke on campus. If this goes any further, our reps will start to suffer. We can't let a freshman knock out a leg of the tripod. If it does, we all fall, and we can't have that."

I chuckled at Jasper's metaphor. He always was a blunt son-of-a-bitch. What he said sounded arrogant, but he was never actually a typical selfish guy – hell, he had to be the most moral and good guy out of the three of us. But he _was_ still a male, and he certainly enjoyed the opposite sex and the power that came with being so high up on the campus food chain. Although he treated everyone he met with the upmost respect, he didn't want to lose his place, understandably.

I raised an eyebrow at him, silently pointing out the arrogance of his explanation. Jasper chuckled.

"Plus, you're my boy, and seeing you fail so hard is truly painful," he added. "I'll help you out. And honestly, you're making no headway, and it's making the show very dull. I'll give you a leg up and a bit of a tactical advantage." Another bout of laughter hit him then. "Plus, I do like to see Emmett lose a bet; more than I like winning one."

I smiled victoriously. "You're on my side in this then?"

"No," Jasper answered quickly. "I'm still betting against you. I'll just provide you with a little bit of spiritual guidance along the way. Not enough that will make it easy for you, because you _know_ if I reveal _all _my tactics you're in there in a flash," – Jasper smirked at that. I replied with a roll of the eyes – "but I'll give you a few ambiguous tips on the trip."

"So you're basically my Guru," I summarised.

"Bingo," Jasper agreed. "I like that. Guru Jasper. Keep calling me that."

I laughed at the childish smile that followed his request. "Alright then, Guru Jasper, grace me with your wisdom."

Jasper propped himself up straighter and took another sip from his whiskey glass. "Give me some details. What's happening with the Bella chick?"

Relaying everything that was going on was starting to be a really annoying chore – mainly because I never had anything good to say. Bella kicked my ass and made me backtrack with every single conversation we had. It was really shit.

"She hates me because I'm a dick and insists, without failing, that she wants nothing to do with me. I tried to put on the gentleman charm but it didn't work at all. She told me to change and flipped the bill on me. Then I tried to put on the mask and show her I could change, but she saw through my bullshit straight away. She knows I'm not genuine, and I don't know how to be. I mean, fuck, all I want to do is sleep with the girl. Should that take an entire personality revamp?"

Jasper couldn't help but laugh at me. It really was insulting. "Fuck. I like this girl already."

_Huh?_

"What the fuck? Why? Loyalty, Jasper, loyalty."

Jasper laughed again, acting like I had no clue about anything. "She's getting to you, man," he explained with an annoying as hell grin.

"She's not getting to me," I growled.

"That's fucking hilarious," Jasper laughed, not noticing my anger, "and that girl is a bloody genius. I _so_ want to meet her. She's getting to your _conscience_, man." He laughed again. "I love it. I've known you since freshman year in high school, and no one has been able to do that yet. I was even doubting whether you _had_ one."

No. No. No. "What the hell do you mean? She's not getting to my fucking conscience."

"Yes she is," Jasper insisted. "She's telling you to change and to quit the asshole shit, and you don't know how to do that, so you're coming to me to teach you how to fake it. You're shoving away her proper request of actually putting in some effort and being a good person. She's getting to you, and you're trying to stop it."

Wrong. He was so wrong. He had to be wrong. Bella wasn't getting to me. She was just annoying as fuck and a bigger challenge that I anticipated.

"Whatever," I spat, pissed off and wanting answers quickly. "That shit doesn't matter. Are you going to help me or not?"

Jasper stood up from his bed to chew the thought over. He took his time as he walked over to his chest of drawers, placed his empty glass on it, picked up a joint, lit it and took a long draw before answering me. He always was a pot head. _It calms me down_, he had claimed. _Everyone should try it. Being calm has a knock-on effect to everyone in the room. Limits the drama_.

"I want to watch this play out," he admitted. "Seeing what this girl will do to you is too good an opportunity to pass up. So, yes, I'll help you out."

_Tactful bastard_. He was going to watch my interactions with Bella like we were pawns on a chess board. He wanted to see me squirm and he wanted to see what she could do to me. And he wasn't going to hide it, either.

It was so Jasper. Yet, I wasn't going to turn down the help. No matter what he wanted from it, I was going to get what I wanted.

"Good. So what have you got for me?"

Jasper grinned, and without a word, walked over to the bed and grabbed his cell again. After sending off a quick text, he turned back to me victoriously.

"You have to charm her," he said simply. "You have to talk about what she likes; ask her about her hobbies, her interests, pretend to like them too. Find out what she likes, and then use that shit as a tactical advantage in impressing her. And most of all, you have to stop being a dick. Don't just _say_ you've changed. You have to do something big to actually _show_ her you've changed. Actions speak louder than words, my friend."

_Okay..._

"But how do I find out what she likes? And what am I supposed to do that will make her _believe_ I have changed? You have no idea how perceptive this girl is."

Jasper gave me that smile that said I was some naive child. "She's not overly perceptive," he explained. "You're just a crap fucking liar. Normally, any word out of your mouth, no matter how shitty, drops a girl's panties. Bella has more dignity than that, and so she sees through your crap and doesn't just pretend to believe it for the sake of a good fuck."

Jasper was pointing out the flaws in my strategies without a second thought. He had always been a blunt person, so I shouldn't have been shocked. I suppose I had just never asked the right questions to hear all of this. It was a bit surprising to hear he didn't admire my womanising skills like he had seemed to.

"Then tell me what to do," I grumbled.

Jasper sighed. "Put on a good act, or at least find something to do in front of her that will _show _her. Help someone in need. Stand up for someone. Just do something."

"Alright," I agreed. "And how do I find out something that she likes?"

Jasper ignored my question as his phone went off. He grabbed it, sent off another text, and then looked back to me.

I frowned at him. "Since when do you text?"

"Alice. The perky brunette. Bella's friend. She likes to text, so I'm doing that for her to show her I'm a nice guy that will try to be interested in things _she_ is interested in. It's what you need to do," he pointed out, tossing the phone back onto his bed.

I laughed at the thought. "You count _texting_ as a hobby?"

Jasper almost growled at me. "No, asshole, it's just her favourite form of communication, so I'm trying it out for her. And _by the way_, if you shut your trap and stop bagging on me, I can tell you _exactly_ what you need to know."

Oh shit. "Sorry."

Jasper grinned at me. "Bella is a dancer," he said quickly. "She likes reading. Wuthering Heights is her favourite book. Romeo and Juliet is her favourite movie. She's a bit of a tom boy, so don't even think about buying her jewellery, clothes or make up. She likes strawberries and the beach. Her birthday's on Sunday; she's turning nineteen. Oh, and blue is her favourite colour."

My eyes bulged and my jaw dropped. "How the hell do you know all this?"

Jasper shook his phone at me with a smirk. "I have an in. Alice is one of her best friends."

Anger boiled. "So you just _asked _her? Isn't that a bit suspicious, idiot?"

Jasper frowned at me. "Cool your meter, Cullen. Alice is sweet. She actually thinks you and Bella should be together. She says you two are cute together and that she can 'see you happening'." He chuckled to himself then. "If only she knew what an asshole you really are." I gave him a warning look. Jasper brushed it off. "Plus, it's not like I'm telling her about the bet or anything. That would fuck up my chances with Alice, too."

"You're such an ass," I muttered.

"An ass who just got you a in," he rebutted. "Now bugger off and put yourself to work. Full Moon on the Quad is at ten, and I have definite confirmation that a certain feisty brunette with doe-like brown eyes is going to be there."

That's where he was wrong. "Bella swore she wasn't going."

Jasper smirked at me. "You clearly don't know Alice very well, then. Trust me when I say she can be _very _persuasive."

I couldn't help but smile at that. "This is going to be a good night," I agreed. "Any more tips for me, Jazz?"

Jasper took the joint out of his mouth and gave me an angry look. It seemed like he was almost about to growl at me. "Fuck off, Cullen. I've given you too many words of wisdom today. It's the most you are getting from me."

I just smiled at him and headed for the door. "Whatever you say."

"And don't call me Jazz!" he yelled after me. "You know I hate that shit."

.:.

When Jasper, Emmett and I arrived at the main quad it was already packed to the point that you couldn't take a single step without smashing into someone. Tradition said that only seniors and freshman were meant to attend – a way to pass the flaming torch, I guess. Boredom, jealously and curiosity meant that sophomores and juniors came too, and oftentimes took their own freshman to kiss. Basically, although it wasn't meant to be, it was nothing but a giant lip orgy.

Within a few mere minutes Emmett and Jasper had disappeared into the crowd. Before Jasper left, however, he shoved me in the direction of the fountain, and I obliged, not really caring where I was going, only in search of Bella in order to pull off some of J-man's magic. Emmett and Jasper had already searched out Alice and Rosalie by the time I found Bella, standing by the fountain, wearing a pair of little cut off shorts, sitting perfectly on her hips and showing off her tight dancer's ass and legs, and a simple blue tee. I couldn't help the smirk that formed as I spotted her – one that increased even more when she glanced at me, annoyed, in the corner of her eye. This smirk of mine, however, left as soon as I saw who she was standing with.

A body, tall as fuck, dark skinned, dark haired and with muscles for Africa told me a certain pig-headed junior was flirting up a storm with my girl; Jacob motherfucking Black. Even seeing a glimpse of him pissed me off to no end. The guy was nothing but fake, pretending to be the nice, honest guy when all he really wanted was to trick everyone he knew into trusting him. It was the same shit as in high school, and he always used his place as Quarter Back to get exactly what he wanted.

Without another thought I was storming over to the two, shoving past hot bodies exchanging random kisses – some quick, and some that were just full on tonsil hockey – with my anger flaring. I couldn't really describe what I was feeling, but there was something in me that snapped at the scene of Black moving in on my girl. It seemed like some primal, territorial shit, and I knew that if Bella knew I was going all male-domination on her ass, she would probably back-hand me. It was just Jacob _motherfucking_ Black. He pissed me off. Bella was mine, and although no one knew about the bet, no doubt the college grapevine had gotten to work, and he knew full well of my interest in her. Any other guy with an ounce of self-preservation would stay away from her with the knowledge. But Jacob Black, oh no, he had to muzzle in on my territory to push my buttons and make me seem like the bad guy. In that way, I would lose all my chances with Bella, and he would snap her up like a snack with gloating rights for years. And he would use his charm and apparent "honesty" to do.

Bull-fucking-_shit_.

I wasn't giving up without a fight. Bella was mine, and he wasn't having one bit of her. Jocks like him were nothing but Neanderthals who thought they could have any girl they wanted just because they could toss around a football. He thought it in high school, and I proved him wrong then. I would do it again in college.

Bella was mine.

As I got closer to the two I could hear scraps of their conversation. Clearly, Bella wasn't very happy, and Jasper's tips were front and centre of my mind as I approached them.

Jacob was trying to get close to her, his voice all smooth and sultry and annoying as fuck, "You know we're supposed to kiss at this thing, right? I mean, it's the whole point."

"I'm just here for emotional support," Bella deadpanned, throwing a glance in the direction that I assumed her friends were in.

Jacob took a step towards her, an eat-shit grin plastered over his face and a cheeky gleam in his eye. I felt like snapping his neck.

"C'mon, Bella. It's just one kiss," he pressed.

"You're not even a senior," she answered back cheekily, not faltering, a small smile playing at her lips. Clearly, she didn't want to get too serious with the argument, but he also needed to stop pressing her.

"That's just a formality," he insisted. "C'mon. I know you want to."

My anger was growing with every word out of his mouth. So was Bella's, because the next time she spoke, you could hear the venom dripping from the words.

"_No_, Jacob."

Jacob pouted, not taking her seriously, expecting himself to be irresistible, and insisted, "No really means yes."

That was when I arrived, grabbing his hand and yanking him away from her.

"No means no, Black. Learn to listen to ladies when they refuse your ugly mug."

As soon as I said it, I was startled with myself. Sure, I was trying to pull off the act Jasper told me to do, but the way it came was way too natural, and I truly _felt_ what I meant; I didn't just say it for the hell of it.

Bella's eyes bulged, but as soon as she spotted me they narrowed, and I knew I would receive shit for intervening later, but at that moment, I only had eyes for Jacob Black, and not in a good way. It was the way that meant me punching him in the nose if I was left unchecked.

Dickhead smirked at me, "Damn, Cullen, if you wanted a kiss all you had to do was ask."

Two could play that game. "Damn, Black, I didn't know you swung that way. Seeing all that dick in the boys' locker room must be like heaven to you, huh."

Black looked like he was about to snap my head off, and although he towered over me by inches and had muscles the size of Emmett's, I wasn't backing down. Call me a primal male. Call me stereotypical. I don't give a shit. I wasn't going to give Jacob an inch to work with. That was the end of it.

Jacob looked like he was about to punch me in the gut. I waited eagerly for the throw, wanting to get my hands dirty and hit something. Sadly, Bella's voice interrupted any of this happening.

"Lower the testosterone levels, boys, and quit trying to play that macho shit. And Jacob, back off and leave me alone. I don't want to kiss you."

Jacob and I didn't flinch at Bella's words, the argument more about our competitive edge towards each other than anything else, although I did allow a small satisfied smirk to emerge. I was still gripping his arm of steel and he was still towering over me, ready to attack and scratch my eye balls out. Little did I notice, but the five foot circle around us had become silent.

"Tell Cullen to let go of my arm," Black snarled in reply, angry at her blatant siding with me.

"Edward," Bella cautioned, her voice soft and cautionary. I stalled for a few moments, glaring at Jacob as he glared back at me, before throwing his arm away like it was hot coal.

"Walk away before I break your nose," I told him, liquid death dripping from my tone.

Jacob narrowed his eyes at me and spat his next words at my feet. "This isn't over, Cullen."

I answered with a grin as he walked away, storming through the crowd: "I'm counting on it."

Bella and I were silent as we watched Jacob walk away. As soon as his figure had disappeared in the crowd of people, however, Bella turned to me with fire in her eyes. I turned to her with a smirk. That just made her even angrier.

"I could have handled that on my own," she told me. "I didn't need your Hero act."

_Careful Edward, careful. Tame her gently,_ my inner Jasper voice warned.

"I know you could have," I admitted. "But Jacob's a bit of a dick, so I wanted the chance to get in his face and piss him off."

Bella raised an eyebrow at me, and then threw a verbal punch. "Well, thank you," she admitted. "But isn't that a bit of the pot calling the kettle black?"

She just called me a dick.

"You're right there," I answered blatantly.

Bella stared at me in shock. I almost smirked in victory. _Almost_. My new attitude was confusing her.

"You're admitting you're a dick now. That's a new one. Usually you try to persuade me you're not."

Touché.

"Talk is cheap though, huh? You're not convinced at all."

Bella pursed her lips, all chapped and plum and pink. The next moment, she started to chew the bottom one, white on pink, and you have no idea how sexy that was. Big brown eyes watched me, wide and deep, and I remembered what had attracted me to her in the first place; legs for Africa and a sexy awkward air that made it hard to look away.

"It's hard to know what to think when it comes to you," she shrugged.

"I'm not really all that complicated," I replied.

Bella smiled a knowing smile. "You'd be surprised."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? I was anything but complicated, and suddenly I was very worried about what she actually thought of me and what she saw. I knew what I _wanted_ her to see, but I didn't know what she took from that. At that moment, I wished I could read her mind or some shit, because the way she looked at me made me anxious.

Things were getting too awkward, so I decided to change the subject.

"So what are you doing here?" I asked, nodding towards the crowds. "I thought you were adamant on not coming."

"Alice made me," she explained simply. "She can be very persuasive."

I chuckled at the sentiment, running a hand through my hair, and muttered under my breath, "So I've heard."

"What?" Bella perked.

"I've heard about Alice's persuasiveness," I repeated.

Bella raised an eyebrow at me. I answered her unvoiced question with one word.

"Jasper."

"Oh," Bella breathed. "The blonde guy."

I nodded. "They've been texting non-stop."

Bella giggled at that. "Oh, I know. He's the reason she made me come against my will."

The next thing I said was pure word vomit, and darker than our conversation's tone. "You should never do something you don't want to do, no matter what anyone else wants."

I felt like a hypocrite by just saying that.

Bella stopped and stared at me; digging deeper to find the hidden meaning to the words. I felt naked.

"Trust me, I know," she answered quietly after a few moments, not explaining further.

Silence dawned on us again. Our quiet stance was a stark contrast to the mayhem going on around us; drinking, yelling and kissing everything in sight. I caught a few eyes of seniors flicking over Bella, but as soon as they spotted me, the guys backed off without meeting my eyes. They all knew she was mine.

"Well," Bella sighed, stepping away, "I better get going. Thanks for...uh..." she shrugged her shoulders with a small smile, "well, you know."

"You could have taken him on your own," I reminded her. It was true. The worst thing for me to do was believe she couldn't look after herself. She had proved to me many times that she could.

"True," she acknowledged. "But it was good to see that you can be the good guy every once in a while and not just be acting."

She thought I wasn't acting.

Maybe I wasn't.

That thought freaked me out.

She started to turn and walk away then. At that moment, my mind kicked back into gear. Things were going so well, and in the words that Jasper would most likely say, _don't let her get away yet, dick. Reel her in and tame her with your borrowed charms._

"Wait, Bella, where are you going?" I asked, stepping forward and touching her shoulder through the crowd.

Bella jumped at my touch and spun around, frightened. The look startled me; wide eyes, filled with terror, and cheeks flushing a crimson red. Eventually she managed to calm herself and string together a coherent sentence.

"Uh...h-home," she answered nervously, running a hand through her hair as she took a deep breath. "I'm taking my chance to slip out while Alice is still busy."

I opened my mouth to say something idiotic alluding to me, her and certain sexual acts, but I bit my cheek and decided against that word vomit. Before I spoke, I put my words through a sieve of Jasper charm.

"Can I walk you home?" I asked, plastering on a mock of that Jasper grin that girls swooned over. I probably looked like a retarded monkey. "I mean, I'm not really into this, and Emmett and Jasper have ditched me, so..."

I definitely didn't sound as smooth as Jasper.

"Carmen wouldn't like it," Bella reminded me.

Suddenly, I could feel my annoyed meter soaring, and I had to bite back a rant of how Carmen could go jump off a cliff. In honesty, I liked Carmen. I really did. She was my friend...sort of. But, at the same time, her constant meddling was driving me nuts. Like I didn't already have enough to deal with.

"Carmen's not here," I answered.

Bella was quiet then, watching me with hesitation. "Edward, I've told you that-"

_Here we go_, I thought bitterly, and piped up to cut her off.

"You want nothing to do with me," I repeated for what felt like the hundredth time, keeping the annoyance in my tone to a minimum. "And I completely understand that. It's just..." _Put on the charm, _I told myself. _Reel her in_, "I feel like you're not giving me a chance because I botched up our first few meetings. Sure, I mean, I was a dick, but I'm not a _total_ dick. It's just...I'm a guy. I was around my friends. I was high off the first week of being a senior and I was being stupid. But that's not me. And I know people have probably told you shit about me but...gossip is a bitch like that. I just...I don't want to lose the chance at being friends. Can't I just have a second chance? If I screw that up, then I will leave you alone. I swear."

Bella watched me again, and she got that look in her eyes that said she was working me out, but that I would never understand what was going on in her head. That looked freaked me out. I felt like I was in the blare of a spotlight; naked, bright and exposed. I had never felt that before. Normally I could hide behind a facade of money, sex, drugs and overall dickhead-ness. But not with Bella.

"Why are you even so interested in me?" she asked tentatively. "I mean, I'm just another freshman. Why do you want to be my friend so badly?"

_Oh shit_, I inwardly cursed. I couldn't simply say, _Oh, because my friends and I made a bet and I have to get into your pants by the end of the semester, and I really want to beat Emmett because I'd love to put him in his place, and you rejected me on the first day so that kind of pissed me off, and you are currently the only girl that I can't get which makes it so much more rewarding, and the fact that no one wants me near you is kind of funny, and also because I'm a spoilt asshole you likes to mess with people and who has nothing better to do with his time. Oh, and also you have a nice pair of legs that I want wrapped around my dick._

Huh, yeah, that would go down well.

_Make up some shit, Ed. Make it up_, my inner-Jasper instructed.

"Because you're the only person I've met who is selfless enough to the point of standing up for someone who hates your guts. Because you threw a milkshake over me for giving you shit and are not afraid to speak your mind or stick up for your morals and what's right. Because you're the only person I know who doesn't give a shit about status or gossip or the fucking social code. Because you judge people by the content of their character and not some petty hearsay bullshit. Because you challenge me to change when you barely know me and are not afraid to point out my bullshit," I listed, taking a deep breath when I was done. "Basically, you are a good person," I admitted with a sheepish smile, "and I'm...not...most of the time. But I want to change, and I'm pretty sure you're the best person to hang around with to do that."

I felt proud of all the bullshit I could talk, almost smiling to myself, but I knew that would ruin the moment and so I kept a straight face. Bella just kept on looking at me in that weird way that put me on edge.

"Those are...a lot of reasons," she said quietly.

I nodded awkwardly. "So...uh...what do you say?"

Bella kept watching me, peeling back layers to try and get to my core. I ensured that I kept on that facade that said everything I had just told her was true. It was easier to put on than I thought, and briefly, as she watched me and I saw the way her big brown eyes burned with a passionate fire and a mahogany curl fell over her cheek, I thought that what I felt about her was true; that I did want to be around her. But as quickly as that thought came, I shoved it away with a kick in the ass. I was not a fucking sensitive pussy guy. Bella was a piece of ass that I had to have. That was it.

"You can walk me home," she agreed with a sudden nod, biting her bottom lip in that cute way.

I had to hold back from jumping in celebratory glee.

I would take that.

.:.

**Author's Note: Sorry about the late update. The holiday season was a bit of a killer. I can't believe it's 2011 now. Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy New Year! I hope Santa was nice to you all. What'd you get? I got money, which is always good. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Freshmeat  
**Chapter 6 – Boundaries

.:.

_Bella POV_

To find myself being walked home by Edward Cullen was weird to say the least, and undeniably worrying. Carmen would certainly have had a fit if she found out, and part of me couldn't honestly understand how we had gotten to the point. All I could say was that Edward certainly knew how to charm a girl, and his persona had certainly changed since the last time I saw him. He threw absolutely no sickening jokes at me, no arrogant smirks, and he accepted every punch I threw with a smile. He proved that he was able to be the good guy; showed me, rather than just said it, and accepted the fact that he was a bit of a dick, but also swore to change, and asked me for my help in that and for a second chance. And how was I supposed to resist that? Was I supposed to say no and leave him hanging out to dry after he put in the effort and reached out to someone, which was probably something which was pretty difficult to do for him, and shoot down all his courage? No, I didn't think I could do that to him, and if I was in his position, being shot down like that would crush me. I knew how hard it was to reach out, and everyone needs a second chance. _Everyone_.

I had to help him. He reached out and asked for it, and he also showed me that he could change and want nothing in return. And also, what he said about why he wanted to be around me...well, something like that was hard to ignore, and it was hard to believe that all of that could be mere bullshit that he was springing in order to get close to me just because I was something he couldn't have. That reasoning seemed old and worn out and dry. Not only that, but there was just this _pull _to him, telling me that what he said was _real_. There was some sort of truth in his eyes that I couldn't deny and couldn't ignore. I was...drawn to that. His interest in me may have started out through the challenge of it all, but from what he had said, he legitimately seemed to be starting to care about changing, and his interest in me now was to get help with that.

That was something I could give him.

Yet, still, through all of that, I was also very aware that I had to still keep my guard up. I was never one to listen to gossip, but from what I _had _heard, Edward Cullen could be very charming and persuasive when he wanted to be. Therefore, to protect myself from any game he _could have _been playing, I would keep my guard vigilant and my boundaries drawn. I would not lead him on. Period.

Edward and I were able to squeeze through the crowds to the edge of the main quad eventually, and when we did, we fell into step beside each other, a good two feet apart. He walked with his hands shoved in his pockets and his head down. Once we had broken out of the quad, and the noise coming from it was just murmurs in the background, Edward spoke to me.

"Can I ask you a question?"

I smiled. "You just did."

The corner of his mouth turned up in a small grin. "Good point," he admitted, and then he was quiet.

I turned to him, frowning, and probed it out of him. "You can still ask, you know. There isn't a limit to the number of questions you can ask me in a day."

Edward smiled at that and went to speak. I could see the gleam in his eyes – a _flirtatious, cheeky _gleam. And so, before he could say anything, I pulled out a permanent marker and drew the line.

"_But,_" I interrupted, startling him, "before we go any further into _this _and whatever...whatever this _is_," I motioned to the air between us, "we need to lay down some ground rules."

"Ground rules?" Edward repeated, suddenly confused.

I nodded and elaborated. "This – this thing that we are doing – me helping you – it's nothing else than just that, get it?"

Edward frowned at me, thinking. "I think so..."

"Right," I nodded, "what I mean is that nothing is going to _become _of it. We are _just _friends. I am _just_ helping you out. That's it, and that's all it's going to be, and if you try anything that _ever_ crosses that friendship line, well, then...this is over. Clear?"

Edward watched me in amusement, his eyes staying locked on mine for a long while, making me have to look away. For a moment, I thought I saw the return of the game-playing Edward; the one who liked a challenge. But, as quick as it came, he was back to normal.

"Crystal," he agreed.

"I'm completely serious, Edward," I assured him. "I won't be played."

"I know," he promised.

Well, alright.

"Great," I smiled. "Now that that's settled, what were you going to ask me?"

Edward nodded, gulped down a breath, and tentatively looked at me. All of a sudden, he had returned to being that nervous wreck I had seen once before, and that scared me.

"Why did you just agree to let me come with you?" he asked. "I mean, you've been pretty set on not letting me in, usually."

"You sounded genuine," I answered quickly, avoiding the long answer.

Edward couldn't restrain a small smile that came. "I am," he promised.

I was silent then, just smiling in response, a weird tingling feeling bubbling in my fingertips.

"So," he began again, fidgeting nervously, "do you have any siblings?"

Huh. He was going to play the question game. I would play along.

"No. Only child."

"Where are you from?"

"Montana."

"What's your favourite colour?"

"Are we going to play this question game for the entire walk back?"

Edward gaped at me. "I...uh...I just wanted to get to know you better...you know, since we're friends now." He said the last part with a wink, which I ignored.

"By firing off random questions left and right?"

He shrugged. "Pretty much."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his blunt answers. "Am I allowed to ask you some too?"

He nodded once, glancing at me with a small smile. "Alright. We'll take turns."

"Sounds good. Blue."

Edward looked at me all funny. "What?"

"You asked me what my favourite colour was," I reminded him.

"Oh, right," he nodded, frowning just a little. "Okay. It's your turn then."

Alright. _Start from the basics_. "Where are you from?"

"Forks, Washington. When's your birthday?"

"September thirteenth. Do you have any siblings?"

Edward looked away from me then, anger shooting through him. "One older brother," he answered coldly.

"The mention of him makes you angry," I noted, not filtering what I was saying; not thinking about how rude I was actually being. "Do you have a rough relationship?"

Edward refused to look at me. "It's my turn to ask a question."

Oh. "Sorry."

"What's your favourite sport?" he asked quickly, returning to normal.

As if timed, I suddenly felt a rush of air, knowing I was about to hit the ground, and was shocked to feel a hand grab my arm and pull me back up.

"Shit, Bella!"

Flustered, with my hair sprawling all over the place, I tried to straighten myself up and fix my clothes.

I groaned as I worked, apologising quickly. "Sorry. Two left feet. I trip over thin air."

"Are you okay?" he asked quickly, looking all over me for any damage.

"I'm fine," I grumbled. "Honestly. Happens all the time."

"Are you sure?" he persisted, very concerned for my welfare, which put me on edge.

"Dancing," I answered, changing the subject.

He blanked at me. "What?"

"You asked me about sport."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "You count dancing as a sport?"

"Yes," I answered simply, keeping my expression stern and challenging him to question it. Over the years, plenty had, and I had my counter argument firm and ready.

To my surprise though, Edward just raised his eyebrows, nodded with a small smile and changed the subject.

"What type of dancing do you do?"

"Ballet, mostly, although I'm not very good. It's for fun more than anything."

Edward frowned then, looking to his feet, mulling something over. "How does it go – you know – with two left feet?"

I couldn't help but laugh at that; a loud, boisterous laugh. Edward looked at me in shock and confusion.

"It's different when I'm dancing," I explained simply. "It's like my clumsiness just goes away."

"How does that work?"

"I think it's my turn to ask you a question now," I reminded him.

He put himself back in check automatically, returning to his prior aloof nature that he had let slip as he delved deeper into questioning me.

"Right. Yeah. Sorry."

"Favourite food?"

"Mountain lion," he blanked.

I gaped at him. "_What?_"

He looked at me, very amused, and suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. "I'm _kidding_, Bella."

"Oh."

"Oh man, you should have seen your _face_!"

"Shut up," I grumbled.

Edward just laughed louder, apologising weakly through bubbles of giggles, and eventually pulled himself together. I pouted at him. It was easy to talk to Edward like this; _normally_.

"Italian," he answered properly, straightening himself up and finishing his last bouts of laughter. "Favourite book?"

"Wuthering Heights. Favourite instrument?"

"Piano. Favourite movie?"

"Romeo and Juliet. Country you most want to visit?"

"Italy," he smirked.

"For Italian food?" I guessed, remembering. Edward just winked at me.

"What are you studying here?" he continued.

"Law," I answered, suddenly turned to a bad mood. I resented the topic.

Edward caught on to my mood change. "You sound angry at the mention of it."

"I'm not," I lied. "I love it."

Edward peered at me suspiciously, but let the topic drop. "Your turn," he reminded me.

I decided to dig a little deeper. "Why do you act like such a jackass around the school? Obviously it's not the real you, so what gives? Why can't you just be like this?"

Edward whistled. "Wow. Big question."

I just nodded, not regretting asking it, because I honestly wanted to know the truth, and if he genuinely wanted me to help him change, I had to know.

"How do you know it's not the real me?" he challenged.

"Because of how you're acting now," I answered.

Edward just shrugged, unabashed, and kicked at the ground. "Who the fuck is really genuine anyway?" he challenged, meeting my eyes. "Ninety-nine percent of the people you meet aren't true to themselves when around others. I'm a guy, and I like to muck around with my mates. Fuck, we're immature dicks, basically."

I shook my head. "Everyone puts on a facade when they are around others. I know that. But you are a pretty extreme version of it. Explain to me what made you a jackass to the point of disregarding others feelings."

Edward was silent then, and for moments a thick silence hung in the air. His lips squeezed into a thin line, and I began to regret putting my foot in my mouth.

"You're very blunt," he answered coldly.

"And you're not," I replied simply.

Edward laughed quietly at my reply. "This conversation is getting heavy."

"You asked me to help you change. Knowing these things helps."

Edward nodded simply. "I get it."

"Are you going to answer?"

Edward took a deep, exasperated breath. We were nearing my house, and I suspected that he was trying to stall for as long as he could.

"Edward," I called, not ready to deal with his dancing around my questions. If he wanted my help, he was going to comply with me. That meant answering questions that allowed me to get inside his head.

"I'm just an asshole," he grumbled, refusing to meet my eyes. "That's all there is to it. No deep dark secrets. No hidden agendas. I'm just a guy who likes to muck around, but I realise that I need to change that."

I didn't believe it for one second.

Noticing that we were nearing the house and feeling annoyed for his lack of truth, I shrugged it off, not wanting to have to attack the issue anymore. Perhaps I was diving in too deep and perhaps it was a sensitive subject. I'd let it lie for a later date.

"It's your turn to ask a question," I continued, sending him a small smile.

Edward finally looked at me as we approached the gate, confusion washing his features from the blatant change of topic. Then, as we approached the porch, he turned to me and asked straight-out, "Can I see you again?"

I backtracked at the weird tone surrounding the question. "Isn't that the whole point of me helping you out?"

Edward shook his head. "No – I mean, yes, but that's not what I mean. It's just that – well–"

Before he could continue, Edward was interrupted by the front door being thrown open and a junior I recognised as Jessica Stanley appearing, red-faced and glowing, her fake nails gleaming in the moonlight.

"Bella! You're back." Her eyes flickered over me momentarily before settling on Edward. "And look who _you've got_." She dragged her eyes up and down his body, practically eye-fucking him, before plastering on a seductive grin and shoving her tits up and out. "Hello, Edward. What brings you here?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at her under my breath.

Edward looked her over, seemingly annoyed as hell, which surprised me. She was clearly keen and very attractive, yet he showed complete disinterest in her. He didn't even look at her as he answered.

"Just walking Bella home," he answered blandly.

"Oh, well," Jessica huffed, grabbing my forearm and yanking me inside, before stepping back into the door and leaning against the frame seductively. All the while I rubbed at my arm, throbbing from the strength of her grip and those bloody polished nails, "that was so _thoughtful_."

Edward raised an eyebrow at her, unamused, and tried to talk to me. "Bella, I –"

Yet, no matter what he tried, Jessica was in the way. "So, Edward, I was wondering whether you wanted to–"

She began to speak to him again, but, aggravated, he cut in.

"Jessica, please, I'm trying to talk to Bella."

I was shocked at how well he was holding it together. Although I could see him grinding his teeth, he wasn't being disrespectful to Jessica, who was being blatantly rude.

Jessica looked shocked at his interruption, and so I cut in.

"I will talk to you later, Edward," I told him.

Edward looked over Jessica's shoulder to me. "Uh, okay, see you later," he agreed before walking off.

"Bye, Edward!" Jessica called, and without another word she shut the door, clamped her acrylic nails around my arm and tugged me into the living room.

"Oh my _God_!" she squealed, still not letting me go. "Edward Cullen. You were walked home by _Edward Cullen_!"

I looked at her questionably. She was acting as though it was some sort of fantastic scientific breakthrough.

"And...?"

"So the rumours are true; you _are_ fucking him?"

_What?_

"No. Hell no! Of course not. Who said that?" I demanded, shocked.

Jessica looked at me with a hint of surprise, but eventually managed to answer. "Well," she popped, "that's the only reason why he would be paying you any attention. He only talks to girls who he is playing with. He's just that type of a guy."

I rolled my eyes at the cliché gossip bullshit. It was like high school all over again. I honestly thought we would have been over that by then. I couldn't even fathom it. How could she jump to such a ridiculous conclusion after Edward merely _walking me home_? For a moment, I became suddenly worried about what other rumours would spread through my spending more time with Edward, like I had promised. I didn't want people to think that I was some sort of slut, or that we were even remotely intimately involved. For a moment, I regretted the decision to spend more time with him under fear of the rumours. But, just as quickly as that thought came, I shoved it away again. I wasn't going to let stupid mindless gossip interfere with who I spent time with. I wasn't going to give in to the immature drama and cave just because some people had too much time on their hands. I didn't need to change for the rumour hounds, and I didn't have to live in a way that suited them. All I had to do – and should do – was live how _I _wanted and set the record straight whenever it came up.

"I'm not fucking Edward Cullen," I told her simply.

She didn't believe a word. "Oh _come on_! Don't lie to me! I know you are. You have to be! Everyone's talking about it! Just admit it."

"I'm not," I repeated gruffly.

She ignored me. "I wouldn't blame you. I mean, he is _fine_. Fuck, I would."

"I'm not having sex with Edward Cullen," I told her again, my voice raising a couple of notches.

Still, Jessica kept ignoring me. "Yes you _are_! Don't lie! It's all around the school!"

That was it.

"You know what? I'm sorry to disappoint you, _Jessica_, but _no_, I'm _not_ fucking him, and I won't _ever _be fucking him. So you can go to whoever said that I was and tell them to shove it up their ass."

With that, I yanked my arm from her steel grasp and stormed back to my room. Sure, I was rude, but I was also annoyed as fuck. I didn't want to be thought of as someone who slept with guys easily. I _refused _to be thought of as Edward Cullen's bed buddy. Jessica's insistence that I was pissed me off, and although I didn't want to get on her bad side, I wasn't going to stand for being treated like crap. I had to set the rumours straight. In all honesty, the whole notion boggled me. Did the student body have nothing better to do than gossip about Edward Cullen's love life?

.:.

I was asleep by the time Alice and Rosalie got home and woke up on Saturday morning before either of them were even beginning to stir. I could only guess that they had gotten home _considerably _later than I had. So, in an effort to keep from waking them up, I threw on an old t-shirt, shorts and running shoes and headed outside for a morning jog. It felt good to get out in the fresh air. I felt invigorated as chilly air filled my lungs. Very few people were about, most no doubt still sleeping after the late night for Full Moon on the Quad. I was just stopping for a rest at the School of Education, stretching out a stiff hamstring, when through the large wooden doors emerged two figures I most _definitely _did not want to see: Jessica Stanley and Tanya Norton. Of course. I should have guessed that they were friends.

As they emerged they were chattering incessantly. I tried to stay quiet, keeping my head down and shrinking back. Too bad they turned onto my end of the path and just about walked straight into me.

"Oh," Tanya breathed, all flustered, as she tried to regain composure. I straightened myself up quickly, and as soon as I had, Tanya's eyes were on me and narrowed into slits. "Oh. It's _you_."

Well, hello to you too.

"Hi, Tanya, Jessica," I greeted politely, nodding to them both.

Tanya looked at me fiercely with lips squeezed into a thin line of distaste. Jessica raked her eyes up and down my body, raising one of those perfectly trimmed eyebrows in amusement.

"So, Bella," Jessica began, folding her arms and smirking at me, "what is this; a _run _of shame? Did you really have to get out _that _quickly? Damn, it must have been a long night fucking, because everyone knows that Cullen doesn't let girls stay the night."

Bitch. She knew that nothing was happening between Edward and me.

"Actually, I didn't know that," I smiled, raising my own eyebrow at her. "But thanks for the tip. Sounds like you've had experience. Is there a bad night at Casa de Cullen haunting your past that makes you such a bitch?"

Jessica's eyes bulged at me. Tanya looked like she was about to rip my head off. Clearly, I struck a nerve.

After I said it, I did feel a little bad, but I was _sick_ of Jessica claiming that I was sleeping with Edward Cullen. I wasn't that type of person and I _wasn't_ going to put up with her taunts for one more second. I didn't deserve them, and I wouldn't be trampled all over. What surprised me the most, however, was that earlier in the week, we had gotten along great. Only when she had seen me with Edward and was now walking with Tanya – an obvious best friend – did she treat me like shit. It was stupid girl drama – jealousy and gossip – and I wouldn't stand for it. But still, the question remained; why the hell was Edward Cullen's love life so important to these girls – so much so that it would turn them against anyone he even _talked _to?

"Oh, more than just _one night_, darling," Jessica spat. "More than you'll ever get."

Jessica smirked at me. I almost buckled over in laughter at the sight. Tanya, on the other hand, snapped her head in Jessica's direction, anger seething in her eyes.

"Wait, hang on," I called. "You take pride in the fact that Edward Cullen used you for sex more than once without even giving a shit about you afterwards? I don't get it."

That made her shut up.

Desperately, Jessica looked to Tanya, pleading for some back up. Tanya still had that angry look on her face at Jessica's admission of her flirtation with Edward, but no doubt disliked me _far_ more.

Tanya looked at me like she was going to rip my head off and took a threatening step forward. "You just wait, _freshman_," she spat. "He will use you and discard you just like he has _every single other girl_ who has ever given a shit about him, and I cannot _wait_. You're no fucking different. And by the looks of it, you're playing _right_ into his palm." She raked her eyes up and down my body in disgust. "I've seen you. He's got you believing every word out of his mouth. Within a week he's managed to get you to go from _hating _him to having him walk you home. Clearly, he has fed you some sort of bullshit about how good he is. Give him another two weeks and you'll be nothing but another notch on his belt. So don't you _dare _look down your nose at us. At least we _know _what he is and did what we did _with _that knowledge. You're acting like you're so high and mighty when really, he's leading you around like you're a little puppy on his leash and manipulating and twisting you into exactly what he wants. You think he cares about you, when he really doesn't give a shit. When you compare our situations, who is the real idiot; us, who know everything but fuck him anyway, or _you_, who believes his _lies_, is twisted and manipulated the hell out of and who plays right into his palm – or in this case, his _bed_? Clearly, he's playing you, and you're just too high and mighty to see it."

What she said struck a chord. I would be lying if I said it didn't. Maybe Edward was trying to lead me on and play a game. The thought wasn't new to my mind. But, at the same time, I knew that although he could try to lead me wherever he wanted, I had already drawn a line, and I was going to stick to it no matter what. She thought that I thought that I was attracted and falling in love with Edward. I wasn't, and I never would. We would only ever be friends, and that knowledge that he could be a manipulative asshole insured that I would _never _be falling into his clutches – or _bed_ – anytime soon. As well as this, I knew how wrong Tanya was, and I was going to show that to her. I was sick of trying to be nice to this girl. I had tried, and she threw it back in my face with a flick of the middle finger and a slap in the face. Then she threw other completely unnecessary verbal attacks at me. I may have tried to be a nice person to everyone I met, but I was also most certainly _not _a doormat.

"Wait, so let me get this straight; you're saying that you _knew _that Edward was purely using you for sex and didn't give a shit about you, correct?" I tested. Tanya nodded smugly. I smiled. "Right. Then explain to me this; if you were so _not _emotionally involved like you claim, why in the hell were you calling him 'my man' and smothering him when we first met? Why in the hell were you _begging _for his forgiveness and his love when he told you to shove it, clearly displaying that 'I don't give a shit about the girls I fuck' attitude you happened to be so informed of?" Tanya blanked at me. I continued, pushing the boundaries. "If you went into that relationship with him knowing exactly what he was, like you _claim_, how in the hell did you become that sobbing mess of a girl who was so _set _on believing that he actually gave a shit about you?"

As soon as I had said it, I regretted it. It didn't matter at that moment how Tanya had treated me, because in that moment, it was like I almost _heard _her heart break. In that moment, I realised just what an absolute bitch I had been. I had just treated her like shit, and something in her snapped, because in the next moment, I watched as tears filled her eyes, ebbing to shed.

"You have no _fucking _idea what you're talking about," she spat, refusing to cry. "No _fucking _idea."

I was stunned to silence. Before I could regain my composure and muster some sort of words of apology for her, Tanya yanked on Jessica's arm aggressively.

"We're _going_."

"Tanya, wait –"

Before I could finish my sentence, she had turned on her heels and walked away.

.:.

The rest of Saturday passed relatively smoothly. Rosalie, Alice and I finished off some assignments and study before heading off to the movies that afternoon. Both had questioned me on my early departure on Friday night, and I was upfront with them and told them about Edward. Of course, I didn't tell them about every detail of our conversation, but I told them about the whole Jacob-episode and how Edward walked me home. The rest – about his changing disposition and request for a second chance – would be disclosed later. I still needed to wrap my head around it first. Rosalie had looked at me questionably and reminded me about what he had acted like in the previous few days. I replied telling her that I was perfectly level-headed about it and wasn't going to be falling into his traps anytime soon. Alice, on the other hand, was surprisingly _accepting _of the entire situation. She didn't question it at all. In fact, she just wore that weird Alice smile all day that said she knew something that I didn't. I resolved that I would ask her about it later, but in honesty, I wasn't sure whether I actually _wanted _to know.

When we got home from the movies I had a long, hot shower and dressed for bed. Too bad that on my way I was intercepted by Carmen and Rosalie and yanked into Carmen's room against my will.

"Shit," I cursed as I stumbled into the room, tripping over my own feet. "Guys! What the hell?"

"Spill," Carmen demanded, hands on hips and stern-faced. "What the hell is going on?"

I was nothing but confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Jessica. Why the hell does she suddenly have a personal vendetta against you? I thought you two got on!" Rosalie pressed.

Oh.

I looked at Carmen, terrified. I still hadn't told her about Edward walking me home, and hadn't planned on it – at least not for a while. I knew she of all people wouldn't like it.

"She...uh..." I tried to think of a good excuse, but I honestly couldn't conjure one up. Basically, it was time to come clean. "She saw Edward walk me home on Friday night."

Rosalie's expression relaxed a bit in understanding. Carmen, on the other hand, didn't.

"Edward did _what_?" she demanded.

Aw, shit.

"He...uh...walked me home."

"Bella!" she growled.

"Please don't, Carmen. I know," I grumbled.

"Jesus, don't you listen to _anything _I tell you? Edward is not a good guy!"

Rosalie even looked shocked at Carmen's very aggressive behaviour.

"He's not as bad as you think," I insisted. "He actually _saved me_ from your rather pushy friend Jacob."

"Jacob's not p–" Carmen was about to debate Jacob's qualities, but instead stopped herself and frowned at me, thinking seriously. "Tell me _exactly_ what Edward did," she demanded.

"He wants to change," I answered simply.

Carmen laughed sarcastically at that. "Change? Are you serious? You've got to see that that's bullshit, Bella!"

"And what if it's not?" I challenged.

Carmen blanked, stunned.

"Listen, Carmen, I'm not an idiot. I've drawn a line that neither of us are going to cross. But I'm also not going to turn my back on someone who asks for a second chance and actually seems genuine. What kind of a person would I be if I did that?"

"A _smart one_!" she yelled. "You have no idea what he's like, Bella."

"And you do?" I challenged.

It took her a moment's pause to answer. "Yes."

"Yes," I repeated. "So you know everything about him? You know what he feels and what he thinks and what the hell he is _really _like through the fucking mask that every single person wears in front of their friends and everyone else? You know the _real _Edward and what he _really _wants?"

Carmen was silent for a few moments. Rosalie had gone deadly quiet. The only sound in the room was our shallow breathing.

"I know enough," Carmen said solemnly. Her mood silenced me. A moment later, she continued. "Edward was my best friend until seventh grade... until...until something terrible happened in his life and he started going...bad. Edward...Edward grew up with no boundaries and no support from his family and he...he did drugs and drank and fucked over every girl he ever came in contact with and he didn't give a shit. He played games and he dumped them like trash when he was done. This...it's what he's going to do with you...it's justanother one of those _games_. He always got what he wanted, and you're something he can't have! So he's going to play you like and fucking game of chess because that's what he is and what he has been since seventh grade. You _have to _believe me."

"So you don't think he can change at all?" I asked.

Carmen shook her head solemnly. "Not this quickly. Someone like Edward doesn't make a turn around this quickly. It's a _game_, Bella. You have _no idea _how much I want to be wrong, but I'm _not_."

I understood that. I truly, honestly did. And that was exactly why I put the boundaries up to insure that he couldn't play with me.

"And what if it's not a game?" I pressed.

"Bella, maybe you should listen to Carmen..." Rosalie whispered.

I didn't reply, instead waiting for Carmen's answer.

Carmen was stunned again. "It...is," she answered after a moment.

"Do you have no faith in people that they can change?" I asked, shocked.

"With Edward Cullen," she breathed, "I _wish _I could...but...I doubt it. And if he _is _playing a game then I don't want you to be hurt. This Jessica thing is just the beginning. Once you get involved with him, things can turn _very _ugly _very _quickly. I can't have you hurt like that, and I can't have it in my house."

I appreciated her concern. I really, truly did. But I still couldn't get over her lack of faith in him. She had been his _best friend _once. Why couldn't she understand what I was doing?

I nodded solemnly, looking to the carpet and trying to find the words for what I had to say. Once I did, I looked back up to Carmen, watching her carefully, and spoke my mind.

"But you know what Carmen? You don't rule my life. And I guess I'm different from you, because I think that everyone can change, even Edward Cullen. And if I was in his position, and I had just reached out to someone like he did to me, being crushed and turned away like you want me to do to him would kill me. When someone like him reaches out like he did, it's more than just a game. But because you didn't hear him, I don't expect you to understand that. The thing is...I think everyone deserves a second chance, and that _everyone _can change. And yes, although it's _possible_ that it's all just a game, I am strong enough in myself to be able to insure that I'm not hurt by it. I don't need to be protected all the time, and I don't need someone telling me what I can and cannot do. I'm helping Edward, and no pressure from anyone in this damn gossip infested school is going to stop me."

.:.

**Author's Note: Late updates are fail, and I seem to be failing a lot lately. I apologise profusely.**

**Do you think Bella is doing the right thing?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Freshmeat  
**Chapter 7 – Drunken Disorderly

.:.

Saturday evening rolled around far too quickly. Emmett, Jasper and I were chilling in our living room when the drama started. Jasper was sucking on a reefer like it was actual sustenance. Emmett was watching some sort of wrestling crap that I couldn't give a shit about. I was trying to hammer my way through a stupid Interventional Cardiology paper. All of us were basically happy as clams in our little bubbles. Well, that was until Carmen burst through the door, guns blazing, glaring at me in that way that actually made me scared for my life, and brought us all back down to reality.

"Edward fucking _Cullen_!" she roared, throwing the door open and huffing angrily. "Do you never fucking_ listen_ to me? Really? _Really?_"

The scene following her intrusion was hilarious. Emmett literally jumped in his seat, dropping his bowl of popcorn all over the floor. Jasper – who was chilling in the recliner – dropped his burning joint onto his hand, scorching his arm, before tumbling out of the seat, eyes wide with fright and attempting to cower in a corner. The intrusion fucked with him the most. He was already high and his brain already overloaded with fucked up shit.

I watched on with amusement as Carmen looked over the two reproachfully before turning to me and raising an eyebrow. I smirked. That set her off.

"Don't smirk at me, Cullen. I've had just about enough of you! What the hell are you playing at, huh? What the hell is your angle?"

Yup. She was angry. And I had no idea what the fuck she was on about.

"Carmen, what the fuck? Chill out," I said, trying to soothe her, standing up with hands raised. "What is this all about?"

"Oh, like you _don't know_," she spat, raking her eyes down my body in disapproval.

"I don't," I told her.

Her eyes narrowed into slits. If she was a cartoon, steam would have been pouring out of her ears. Silently, I wished it was, and couldn't help but snicker under my breath. Emmett, however, snickered loudly, and Carmen shot him a look that said that he should have shut his trap.

"Got something to say, Emmett?" she challenged.

Emmett looked at her like a stunned mullet. "Uh...no..." he stuttered.

Carmen turned away from him in disgust, looking back at me. "What the hell are you doing with Bella? I told you to stay away from her!"

Oh shit.

I couldn't think of what to say. Whatever bullshit I made up would never withstand Carmen's grilling. I knew that. She knew me too well.

I decided to play dumb and stall myself some time.

"What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything."

Carmen almost growled at me. "Bullshit, Cullen. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Why the hell do Jessica and Tanya want to slit her throat over you? Why the hell did you walk her home? And _why the hell _does she think that you actually want to go through some fucking personality revamp and _change_?"

That time, both Emmett _and_ Jasper buckled over in laughter. I shot them warning glares. Carmen raised an eyebrow, highlighting the way that everyone around me thought my want to change was bullshit.

Unable to muster a proper excuse, I decided to flip the bill on her and point out her shit.

"Why the hell do you even care?" I pressed. "What are you; Bella's _mother_? What the hell gives you the right to tell Bella and I who we can't and cannot talk to? Mind your own fucking _business_, Car."

That made her angry.

"Ugh! You're such a jerk, Edward! You want to know why I'm getting involved? Because I know who you are, and I don't want you causing problems for girls in _my house_! I'm not going to stand by and watch you play Bella like she's some sort of game you have to win! She. Doesn't. Want. You. Get over it and leave her alone. Quit springing bullshit to her about 'changing' in an attempt to fool her into trusting you!"

Ouch. That hurt. But no.

"What makes you so _certain _that it's bullshit, Carmen? What the hell makes you think that you are always fucking right about everyone? You're fucking proud, you are."

Yup. If she didn't hate me already, she sure did after that. It felt like seventh grade all over again.

"God, you're such an _asshole_! You haven't changed. You're _never going to change_! And now you're pulling a good girl down with you. She's _innocent _in this, Edward. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this. Leave her out of your life before she gets hurt! Stop playing her! Stop lying to her! Don't you see that she actually genuinely thinks you want to be a good person? She's pure like that! She doesn't deserve what you're doing to her!"

The argument was getting heated. It certainly had been a long time coming.

"You have absolutely _no_ faith in me, do you?" I roared. "You don't know _anything_, Carmen, so quit acting like you do. You have no idea who I am or what I'm really like! _How _do you know that it's not all real? How do you know that I don't want to quit the shit and actually be a good guy for once? How the fuck would _you_ _know_?"

"Because I_ know you_!" she insisted, and although I knew she was right, I wasn't going to let on that she was. "You don't change this quickly and I've seen you do it all before! When I first talked to you about her you made it pretty damn clear that you were playing some sort of game for some damn reason. She's something you can't have, and that is pissing you off, and I _can't _let you do this to her! I tried to warn you nicely, but you just _won't take a hint,_ and now she's taking shit from your other fucking conquests! You cannot muck her around like this and you cannot mess with her emotions. She's _trusting _you, and you're going to destroy that and make her life shit. Stop lying to her and leave her alone!"

I almost spat at her, angry at how much she was screwing it up and how deep she could dig.

"You haven't known me since seventh fucking grade, and not all the rumours you hear are true," I growled, resentment flooding me. "I'm _not _lying to Bella, I do want to change, and _you_ wouldn't know what I really want if it ran up and kicked you in the butt!"

"Until yesterday, you certainly hadn't provided any evidence to prove that you give a shit about changing!" she spat. "You cannot do it that quickly!"

I wanted to hit something. In anger, I aimed it at the wall. Carmen didn't even flinch, even when I screamed at her.

"You have no fucking idea what the hell I want! Why the hell can no one bloody _believe me_?"

"Ed!" Emmett yelled, jumping up from his seat in an attempt to restrain me. That was when Carmen spoke.

"Just because your family completely _fucked you over _does not give you an excuse to treat everyone you meet like complete and utter shit!" she yelled at me. "This isn't you changing. It's you playing a different version of the same game, and it's fucked up! Quit taking out your fucked up problems on everyone else!"

Emmett froze. Even Jasper was no longer in his buzzed out daze. I, however, wasn't giving up without a fight. I felt my fist hit the wall again before Emmett's arms trapped mine to my sides like steel.

"Just because your father was a cheating, lying bastard does not give you the excuse to suspect every guy you know of being a complete asshole out to hurt everyone he meets!" I yelled in reply, testing her and pushing her boundaries, showing her what it felt like to be on the receiving end of it all. "Quit projecting your shit onto me!"

"_Edward!_ _Carmen_! Quit the shit!" Jasper hissed then, standing up and getting between us.

Tears were filling Carmen's eyes. Guilt sparked in me.

"This has nothing to do with my father," she spat, biting back the tears with a stern expression. Suddenly, I was reminded of the little girl I used to be best friends with, and I felt guilty. But, I also felt rage, and that won out. It always did.

"And what I do has nothing to do with my family," I challenged.

"Bullshit!" she roared, stepping forward and throwing her hands in the air. Jasper instinctively moved in her way in caution, even though we all knew she would never throw a punch. "Your family is the whole reason you fucked up in seventh grade! Your mother dying and all that shit that went on after that is the straw that broke the camel's back! That was your breaking point. Your family _fucked you up_! It's all what made you become this pig-headed, arrogant, ignorant, disregarder-of-other's-feelings, manwhore!"

"Carmen, shut it!" Emmett roared. She ignored him. So did I.

"You have no fucking _idea_ what happened," I growled, seeing red.

Carmen fell silent then. I don't know what she saw in my expression, but the next thing she said was almost a whisper.

"I know more than you think, Edward."

"Bullshit," I claimed.

"I was your best friend!" she roared then. "Don't you fucking _remember that_? Don't you remember what I _supported you through_? Don't you remember what the hell you _did to me_ in the end?"

I froze.

I did remember. I had just made a purposeful move to forget.

Shock shook through me. I didn't know what to say. Pain and heartbreak was tearing through Carmen's features, tears needing to be shed. A thick, heavy lump formed in my throat.

"I remember."

"T-then you should understand why I don't want you n-near Bella," she said calmly, her voice breaking ever so slightly as she sucked in a deep breath.

I locked eyes with her. It made me feel exposed. The pain in her expression shook me, and a part of me wanted to walk over to her and hug it all away - it was that part of me that was still ten years old, best friends with my neighbour and completely innocent in a world so fucked up. It was the part of me that was young and good and pure but knew of all the terrible things I was to do to her in the future, and who wanted nothing more than to make it all better before they happened. It was the part of me that still loved her like a sister. It was the part of me that shook with guilt and grief and regret for what I stole from her, and for how, no matter what, through everything, she still maintained faith in me for as long as she could.

But, as always, the twenty one year old in me shook that feeling off and straightened his shoulders. I wasn't a kid anymore.

"You have no faith in me at all," I whispered; pained, because in the past, she was the only one who ever thought good of me. Now, even she was abandoning my cause. "You don't think I can change. You don't think there is a scrap of hope left in me."

I felt cold and dark. Even Emmett and Jasper had backed away. Now, it was just Carmen and I facing each other, pain and heartbreak and past demons attacking us, each laid bare for the other, looking at each other and seeing each other for what we really were; hurt kids who had cared for each other once, but got lost along the way.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. It didn't matter though. I saw the regret in her expression. I saw the way her mouth started to form the words; _Edward...I'm sorry...it's just..._

"Yeah," I spat, not letting her reply to me. "That's what I thought."

I shook off Emmett and Jasper's hands and Carmen's calls as I ran from the house and down the road, without a clue of where to go.

.:.

It wasn't hard to get fucked up. Saturday night wasn't exactly the epiphany of a quiet night in. Within fifteen minutes of storming out of my place I was at a bar and downing shots like they were water. The barmaid tried to force some frilly ass fruit drink on me and have a bit of fun, but I shoved it away and ordered another whisky. And another. And another. After three hours I was stumbling out of the bar, fucked as hell, with a little blonde hanging off my arm. She had these weird green streaks in her hair that made me think she had spent too much time in the water and it had been stained by chlorine. Her eyelashes were all fake and her nails were painted a sickly green that matched her hair, which didn't do much for my unsettled stomach. Of course, she was cute, but I couldn't see past the green as we stumbled out onto the footpath.

"Wow. Slow down there, Captain. Take it easy," the little blonde giggled, yanking on my arm and trying to keep me up right. She failed, and we both fell to the ground in a mess of limbs. She was laughing. I felt like I was about to be sick.

The little blonde pushed herself up off my chest. A flash of green hair tempted my regurgitation reflexes, but I held it back. The little blonde wouldn't stop giggling.

"Shoot. I'm so sorry!" she apologised, giggles trickling through. I gathered myself back up, my head throbbing, as she latched back onto my arm. "That was totally funny! Are you okay?" Wow. I'm so dizzy!"

The giggling continued as she dragged me down the road, me dragging my feet as we went. She was acting drunk as fuck, swerving all over the footpath and stumbling into my chest. It was all complete bullshit. She has been drinking coke all night, and was about as close to intoxication as I was to sobriety.

We had been walking for about ten minutes when her giggling stopped and squealing began. Jumping up and down like a fucking jumping jack, she yelped and grabbed my arm, towing me over to a park bench under a fucking tree. If I had been properly conscious, I probably would have wondered what the hell was going on, but because I was completely and utterly fucked, I just went along with it, grateful for the rest.

That was until her hands fisted in my hair, almost yanking it from its roots, and her lips smashed to mine.

I don't remember much after that. I remember the caffeinated, sugary taste of coke on her lips, and I remember her slimy tongue playing tonsil hockey in my throat, but after that it's a blur. The only thing I remember properly is kneeling in the bushes, puking my brains out, as she ran away yelling bloody murder.

I didn't give a shit. I was too sick to give a shit.

It took a good ten minutes for the puking to stop. By that time, my head was spinning and I could barely see five feet in front of me. Yet, I still felt a little bit more coherent. If only I knew where I was.

I sat up from the bushes and took a look around. In the dark, everything looked completely foreign. Well, that was until a stream of light shone across the grass in front of me from a large wooden doorway.

I turned my head, squinting to try and recognize the figure emerging. When I saw them, no matter how blurry, I knew exactly who it was, cradling a stack of books in her arms and carrying a laptop bag over her shoulder. I would recognize those legs anywhere.

"Bella."

Apparently, I spoke my realisation out loud, because her head snapped towards me as soon as her name fell.

She looked frightened. I probably would be too. I looked like a fucking hobo kneeling in the bushes, no doubt reeking of substances I didn't even want to think about.

Strangely enough though, she started taking hesitant steps towards me.

What the fuck?

If she was nothing else, she was ballsy.

"Edward?" she asked, her voice hitting me like a battering ram. "Is that you?"

Sheepishly, I smiled, and I probably looked like a lunatic. Hell, I didn't have a choice what the hell I looked like. I was basically immobile. Fixing my hair and teeth and clothes was just not an option.

"Heh. Yeah. Hi, Bella."

At my answer, Bella picked up her pace.

"Edward? What the hell are you doing in the bushes?" she asked, confused.

_Fuck if I know_.

"Admiring the greenery."

_Smooth_.

Bella didn't believe me for one minute, and as soon as she was five feet from me, she smelt it.

"Oh shit, Edward, are you drunk?"

I tried to smile all jokingly at her, but it ended up all creepy and sheepish again.

"Uh...just...just a little."

Bella gave me that look that said I was an absolute idiot.

"Come here," she sighed, holding her hand out to me. I looked at it in shock, taken back by the gesture. She just nodded at it. "You've got to get up out of the dirt, Edward. There's a bench fifteen feet away. I'll help you. Come on. I won't bite."

A part of me wanted to giggle at the thought of her biting me, but I shut that up pretty quickly and took the aid.

It certainly was a struggle getting myself to the bench, and when I did, Bella stayed standing up, looking at me disapprovingly. I felt like an idiot. I was like the fucking damsel in distress being saved by the hero. It didn't feel right.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" she asked.

_Good question_.

I thought about tell her that I wasn't alone to begin with, but that didn't seem like a good idea.

"Trying to get home."

"Where are Emmett and Jasper?"

"_Home_," I popped happily.

"Why aren't they with you?"

I raised my eyebrows at her. "Why aren't _your _friends with _you_?"

I felt smart, until she shot me down. "Because I'm not _drunk_, and I just spent the night in the library."

Oh.

I knew where we were then. We were in the main quad.

"That is very..._diligent _of you," I nodded.

She frowned at me. "I can't believe you're this drunk. It's only eleven o'clock."

"Early bird catches the worm," I exclaimed with waving arms and a stupid smile.

"Normal people aren't this hammered by eleven," she told me.

_Normal people don't have to deal with mother-fucking Carmen all the time_, I thought bitterly.

"I guess I'm not normal then."

She just sighed. "Have you vomited yet, Edward?"

Huh?

What the hell?

Who _asks that_?

I looked at her all confused. She answered my question for me.

"Because if you _haven't_, I have to make you, so that you don't get alcohol poisoning."

_Oh..._

So diligent.

"Well, in that case, yes I have," I told her, pointing to the bushes for good effect.

"Good," she said, "then drink this." She reached into her bag to pull out an almost full water bottle.

I just stared at the bottle, confused and hating myself. What Carmen had said came crashing back to me. Bella was a good person, no matter what, willing to help me even though I was an ass, and I was twisting and manipulating those qualities to suit my game.

I was such a shit head.

"Why are you even helping me?" I asked as I looked at it, stumped and hating it all. "Why should you give a shit whether I get alcohol poisoning or whatever the fuck else could happen?"

Bella didn't even stall in answering. "Because I said I would help you, and I said I could be your friend. And because I can't just leave you out here like this. It's dangerous. You need someone with you."

_Oh..._

It all blew me away. I couldn't even process those morals with how fucked up my head was.

"I don't need water," I growled. I couldn't even think about any of it because it hurt my head so much. I treated her like shit, yet she was still there helping me in a second. It did my fucking head in. Of course, I wanted this girl close to me, but the fact that she actually _was_, after everything I did, baffled me. Not to mention, I felt a little guilty.

"You're doing medicine, Edward. I would've thought that you would know that when you're intoxicated you need to drink lots of water to avoid dehydration."

I took the bottle, feeling really stupid.

"You seem to know a lot about caring for drunk people," I noted, taking a long drink, my head spinning as I watched the glugging water.

"Common knowledge," she answered quickly.

There was definitely something more in her eyes. I didn't even want to think about it.

"I happen to like being drunk. It's a good time," I laughed.

She didn't even crack a smile. That shook me. Usually, with one joke girls were sending me impious looks and dropping their panties. When I was drunk, it was even easier, because _I _was easier, and they knew that. But not her. Not Bella. She hated me even _more _when I was drunk.

"That's idiotic," she growled.

_Ouch_.

"Alright, Miss Perfect. Does that mean you've never been hammered?" I asked.

"Never," she promised.

_Holy shit_.

"Wow..." I breathed.

Bella didn't even answer. I sculled the rest of the bottle.

"Alright," she said once I was finished, "ready to go home now?"

_Home_. Home was where Carmen was. And Emmett. And Jasper. Well, last time I checked anyway.

I definitely didn't want to go home.

"No," I answered quickly.

It was Bella's turn to look all confused.

"Why not?"

_Bullshit it up, Edward. B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T._

"I like it out here. The fresh air is good for my head."

I saw a little tickle of a smile at her lips. It worked.

"Well, alright."

She must have thought it was a good idea.

Score.

Bella started fidgeting then, pacing the pathway, as if waiting for when I would be ready to move. She looked nervous. I couldn't help but speak.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked.

Bella looked at me, startled. "Nothing," she swore.

"You seem nervous."

"And you seem drunk. Had enough of sharing our perceptions of each other?"

_Touchy_.

"You can come sit down, you know," I said, patting the seat next to me.

Bella glanced at it apprehensively. I patted it again.

"Come on. I won't bite."

She couldn't help but smile at my copy of her claim at the beginning of our conversation.

"Thanks," she mumbled before taking the seat next to me. As I watched her movement, my brain started throbbing mercilessly, and I had to lay my head in my hands to try and regain control. Automatically, her hands were on my back, soothing me as I winced.

"Edward, are you okay?" she asked nervously. "Do you need anything? Do you want to go to the hospital?"

_Hospital?_ Oh, man.

"No, I'm fine," I swore. "I'm just...a bit dizzy. I'll have a killer hangover in the morning."

"Maybe you should go home and sleep it off," she volunteered.

"I don't want to go home," I answered automatically, not thinking.

That set her off.

"What? Why?"

Aw, shit.

I didn't want to tell her about Carmen. I didn't even want to _think _about that whole ordeal.

"Uh...Emmett and Jasper are pissing me off."

She knew I was lying.

"Tell me the truth."

"That is the truth," I swore.

Bella sighed, and her hands left me. It kind of hurt.

"You know, this whole helping you thing isn't going to work if you are going to keep secrets from me. I have to know you to be able to help you."

I understood this, but I didn't care.

"Yeah, but there are some things out there that I just need to keep to myself."

After a moment's thought, Bella nodded once. She understood.

"Okay. I get it."

Silence ensued, and I didn't want it to. It didn't matter whether talking hurt my head. I wanted to keep our conversation going. Thinking of it ending scared me.

"So...what were you doing in the library?" I asked tentatively.

For a moment, Bella raised a questioning eyebrow at me. Making small talk was weird.

"Uh...assignments," she answered.

"You're major is Law, right?" I checked.

She paused for a moment. "I guess," she shrugged, not looking at me.

"You guess?"

She shrugged again. My interest shot through the roof. There was something there that she was hiding.

"Haven't you declared it? You said last night that it was..."

Bella shrugged again. "It is. Kind of."

I didn't get it.

"What do you mean?"

Bella shrugged for what felt like the hundredth time. "I've declared...but I'm still..._undecided_...if you get it..."

Even in my hammered state, I knew there was some sort of meaning behind those words.

"Undecided about what?" I asked quietly

That struck a nerve, because all of a sudden her eyes shot to me, wide and brown and deep.

She only had a one word answer. For a moment, I thought I saw a tear glisten in the corner of her eye.

"Everything," she muttered.

I was stunned to silence, reality crashing through my alcohol-induced haze. Bella's eyes flittered away from me as soon as she saw that. I was shaken to the core.

"Bella –"

I went to speak, but the chiming of the clock tower interrupted me as the long, deep rings rung out. Bella looked up to it, sucking in a deep breath.

"Sunday," she noted dryly.

_Sunday_. The day rang a bell in my head for some reason.

Then I remembered.

"Happy Birthday," I told her.

As soon as I said it, Bella looked at me, shocked. Something in her eyes startled me.

"You remembered," she noted. "Even though you're completely smashed."

I shrugged. "I'm good at remembering dates."

Really, I wasn't.

Bella squinted at me. It put me on edge.

"What?" I asked nervously.

She kept peering at me, and a moment later spoke. "Your eyes..." she whispered, locking hers to mine, "they're green...emerald green. I never noticed that before."

That shook me. She was so close to me. I could practically feel her breathing down my neck and her heat soaking into me, the smell of strawberries and sweat and girl flooding me.

"They are," I whispered with a gulp, awe-struck.

Suddenly, Bella sighed, and in the next second she sat up. "Come on. Let's get you home."

Hesitant and edgy, I nodded. "Okay."

Bella turned around then, and with her back facing to me, I heard her whisper, "At least you won't remember this in the morning."

.:.

I woke up on Sunday with a killer headache. By the time I had been sick in the toilet, pulled myself into the kitchen and downed two painkillers it was already two in the afternoon, and I was still reeling over Carmen's visit the night before and still feeling the guilt for bringing all of those demons right back up to rear their ugly heads. By that time, Jasper arrived home from town, and I was drowning in my own guilt.

He greeted me as he waltzed into the kitchen, "Shit, Cullen, you look like death warmed up."

"Gee, thanks," I replied bitterly.

"Tough night?" he asked, as he walked to the counter to put down the grocery bags.

I nodded. "If only I could remember it."

Jasper went to the tap and got a glass of water. I plonked down on the couch, feeling like shit.

"What _do _you remember?" he asked. "We didn't know where you had gotten to after Carmen..."

My heart jumped in fear and guilt at the mention of her name. I tried to ignore it.

"Downing whiskey shots with a little green-haired girl. Vomiting into the bushes. And then...waking up in my bed," I answered.

Jasper laughed at my lack of knowledge. "Well, you sure missed a lot then."

"What? Why?" I demanded.

Jasper looked at me like I was some sort of misinformed child and he was a wealth of knowledge.

"Do you remember who brought you home last night?" he pressed.

"No..." I admitted.

He answered for me. "Bella. She dragged your ass in here after midnight. You were practically comatose. She had fed you water and made sure you were sick before you came back. It was quite impressive. She was like your rescuer."

"Fuck," I growled, internally slapping myself. "Why don't I remember that?"

"Eh, you were hammered. You might remember it eventually...once the hangover dies," he assured me.

"Yeah..." I mumbled, uncertain.

"She looked pretty upset when she dropped you off, too," Jasper added. "Like she had been having a tough time."

Aw, shit.

The worst thoughts popped into my head. What the fuck did I say to her? Did I ruin everything that I had been working towards with her?

"Did you ask her what was wrong?" I demanded.

Jasper looked at me like I had two heads. "I asked her if she was alright and if you had behaved, and she just said yes. I didn't pry any further if that's what you are asking."

"Fuck," was all I could say.

"What do you think is wrong?" he asked then, interested.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I just hope I didn't do something to fuck shit up. I just got her to start trusting me."

Jasper chuckled at that. "You are such a douche bag."

"Do you know where she is?" I asked, ignoring the insult.

"Out with her friends. It's her birthday. Alice and Rosalie took her somewhere special, apparently."

"Fuck!" I swore.

"Wow, calm down," Jasper cautioned. "It will be alright. She will be at the Movie Night tonight. You can see her there. There's nothing to _worry about_. Plus, Alice would have texted me if you had done something to hurt or piss Bella off...well, even more. It's all _fine_."

"I can't believe I can't remember anything..." I muttered.

Jasper laughed again. "Why does it matter?" he chuckled. "It's not like you fucked her. What other shit do you have to care about when it comes to her?"

In all honesty, I didn't know, but I couldn't shake the want to talk to her and find out what part of our interactions I missed anyway.

"I don't know," I told him.

I honestly didn't.

.:.

**Author's Note: I giggled like a twelve year old girl when we hit 69 reviews and hung there for a while. Does that make me immature? We've hit 80 now anyway, which is amazing.**

**I'm not sure when the next update will be out because I'm moving out and going to University for the first time in a few days, and O-week will be pretty busy. I apologise. Thank you all so much for your support so far. I will get it out ASAP.**

**What do you think of Edward's antics and the fight with Carmen?**


End file.
